The Trial
by alighthawk
Summary: A crime from a remote part of the universe will affect the lives of the entire Masaki family - I've return folks with chapter 13!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the others was thought of by me. Any similaries are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline. All this means that Ryoko isn't a demon, nor she related to Washu. Tenchi & Yosho aren't related to Ayeka & Sasami by blood & we'll see Kiyone in this drama. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing! ENJOY!

The Trial: by alighthawk

Prologue: Scene I

Near the Juraian border, lied an obscure planet just off the main spaceways. Its name was the planet Xeria. Nothing much ever happened there anymore, especially in the last several hundred years since the ore mining operations went bankrupt and all the major businesses uprooted and left. Since then, the planet had become an out of way haven for pirates, wanted criminals and every other sort of low life that could be thought of. However, because of its remote location, local authorities such as the Galaxy Police or the Jurai military rarely dropped by to arrest anyone. "_A waste of time"_ was the term used most frequently to describe this rock in space.

Which was why Xeria was the perfect place to hold a secret meeting between two parties that were discovering that their alliance was in disarray right now. From the Juraian border came a transport ship and from its markings and insignia from the outside, it appeared to be a ship from either the Holy Council or perhaps a member of the Royal Family.

As ship headed towards the darkside of the planet to avoid detection, it made a synchronized orbit at the southern region. A transport beam descended down to the largest city and suddenly two men materialized at a darkened street. One of the men, a young Juraian guard, walked ahead and surveyed the area. The other, an older gentleman, stood and turned around, looking for the designated spot where this meeting was supposed to take place.

"Nobody appears to be outside my Lord." Observed the young guard. "I guess it mustn't be too safe to be out at this time."

"No my young aide, everybody is either inside drinking to a stupor or indulging in some other indecent activity". The Juraian Lord mumbled back. "Just as well. I want to do this as quietly as indiscreetly as possible. The actions that we're taking tonight could cause some serious ramifications back on Jurai if we're not careful"

"Lord Braga, is it wise to meet with these people here?" The guard asked. "What I mean is… do you trust them?"

"Not in the slightest, but we do require a scapegoat and they will provide a fitting subject when the 'truth' comes out." Lord Braga with said a smirk. "Do not worry Kenji. Once we concluded our business here, and get off this mudball of a planet, the rest of the plan will take care of itself. Now I believe the tavern down the block is our destination."

Kenji continued to be in front of Lord Braga in case anything was to happen. As they walked down the dimly lit street, he couldn't help but think: _I pray to Tsunami that you're right my Lord, but my heart is feeling this gnawing sensation and I feel that we may not leave this place unscathed… _

As they arrived at the entrance of the tavern, Lord Braga motioned to Kenji to put the hood of his robe over his head. Even though they were in civilian clothing, the vermin in this place could smell a Juraian a mile away; let alone being able to recognize a minister from the Holy Council. Kenji though kept his recoiled battle staff close to his right side just in case.

As they entered, they could see that the place was in a dark setting. Dim lights, if any worked at all. As they took two steps down from the door, they could see the bar. It stretched almost from one side of the tavern to the other. The place was big in length, but not so much in width. The tables and chairs looked worn from usage and probably from the bar fights that occurred from time to time here. The only thing that was clearly lit was the liquor display behind the bar. Braga assumed that the barkeeper wanted to make sure his customers could clearly see what they're ordering, assuming they could read at all.

As they made their way down the narrow walkway, the locals started to stare curiously. It made Kenji nervous. "S...Sir, are you sure this the right place?"

"Relax my boy, I see our contact ahead of us." Braga saw a man standing by a doorway covered by a black curtain. The man was tall, had short dark hair with a spiky top. Also notable was that he was wearing a patch over his left eye. Kenji noticed the man's features, _Guess he had one fight to many. _He thought

As they approach the doorway, the one eye man straightened up and motioned with his right hand for them to come over. "Lord Braga I presume?" The man asked.

"Yes…that is me, but would you mind not saying it so loud? The purpose of having this meeting here is so that I'm not recognized!" Braga barked back with an annoyed look on his face.

"My apologizes my lord, but we don't usually get that many high caliber people roaming in here often. Oooh my gracious! Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself for I am Yataka! I'm the boss' right hand man so to speak, so you may deal with me directly." He smiled with a wide grin across his face.

"Yataka!" Braga answered back. "The agreement was that I deal with your employer face to face, not with some overpriced lackey! Where is your employer?" He demanded.

"Lackey?" Yataka winced."Sir, I'm hurt to think that you consider me a mere hired thug. However, if you strongly feel that way, I'll escort you towards the back room and there I will contact the boss."

"Very well, you may proceed, but be warned my patience is growing thin." Braga grumbled as he scowled at Yataka.

"Oooh…don't worry your Lordship. Once I contact the boss, we can get this over very quickly and you can return to your precious Jurai." Yataka answered with a sly look to his face.

Braga looked back at Kenji. The young Juraian was already concerned about this whole setup and this surprise delay isn't helping much either. Braga motioned to Kenji as if to say 'Be alert'! Kenji slowly put his hand on his staff, preparing for trouble just in case.

As they entered the back room, a large table was laid out. Four wooden chairs were facing each side of the table. On top of the table were some drinking glasses and what appears to be a bottle of Sake, imported from Jurai.

Yataka grabbed the bottle and a glass and waved to the two Juraians, "Care for a drink gentlemen? I do try to be a proper host."

"Perhaps later. After we have reached an agreement with your employer. Now would you please make the call?" Braga demanded as he sat down at one end of the table. Kenji stood in attention behind him.

"Relax your lordship, I'll do it right now." Yataka then pulled out his communication device and pressed an automated signal. After a few seconds, it made a beeping sound as to acknowledge the first.

"The boss is coming my Lord, and then we can end this deal quickly." Yataka said once more with a smirk on his face as Kenji noticed and it was starting to irritate him.

"So now my Lord, may I ask you a question?" Yataka asked.

"What is it that you wish to know?" Braga replied.

"Oooh, like how you was going to setup the boss to take the fall for your improprieties back on Jurai?"

"WHAT! How dare you accuse me of betraying our arrangement! How dare you insult a member of the Holy Council of Jurai!" A red-faced Braga shouted with rage, realizing also that his 'plan' had been discovered.

"But your lordship, you compromised your trust with us a long time ago when our 'friends' on the Jurai government heard rumors of betrayal by your cabinet. By you coming here, you have proven that you're desperate enough to keep your dirty secret quiet and what makes you think the boss wasn't prepared for your deceit?" Yataka's grin was growing ever wider.

"Enough of this rubbish! Kenji, kill this cretin and lets be on our way." Braga screamed. "This meeting is terminated and so are you Yataka."

"I don't think so Braga!" A voice yelled from the doorway.

As Braga turned towards the direction of the voice; a bolt of energy shot across the room and struck Kenji. When the Juraian Lord turned back, he saw the young guard's body, but also a pulped lump of flesh that used to be his head. Before he could react, Yakata went behind him and knocked the chair from under Braga, causing him to fall and sprawled all over the floor. As he tried to get up, a red boot stepped on his right hand, crushing it.

Braga started to scream in agony when he looked up at his attacker. He saw the evil smile, a sinister stare that was looking back right at him. "Well look what we have here, a self-arrogant Juraian minister on his knees. Yataka, do you think he'll want to beg for his life?" The boss asked.

"Oooh, I hope so. I don't care for his attitude at all. Can I kill him boss? Please?" Yataka pleaded.

"N…No! P…Please let me live! It was a small misunderstanding! I'll make amends! Just don't kill me!" Braga pleaded, but it was falling on deaf ears.

"Pitiful fool! Allow me to show you what I do to those who betray me." An energy ball started to appear. "Send my regards to Tsunami Lord Braga, though I pretty much suspect that you'll ending up in hell!"

"N...Noooooooo!" Screamed out Braga and in an instant, he was reduced to charred flesh.

"Awww boss, I wanted to do him in." Yataka whined.

"Enough of this crap, we found what we wanted and now its time for us to depart." Our mysterious killer ordered Yataka as they started towards the doorway.

"But what about the transport ship? Aren't they waiting for these guys?" asked Yataka.

"Oh that. That's being taken care of as we speak…"

Up above the Xeria, the Juraian Royal Transport Yahwa was being bombarded; energy bolts from an unknown attacking ship that appeared out of hyperspace was overwhelming its defenses. The crew was unaware of Lord Braga's true mission and now they were paying for his follies.

"Captain! Our shielding has collapsed! We can't sustain anymore damage!" Yelled out the navigator.

"Have we heard from Lord Braga or his guard crewman?" Yelled the captain, but before he got his answer, a huge fireball erupted from the engine room and within seconds the ship exploded into atoms.

The scene was that of shock from the planet surface as a thunderous sound hit the atmosphere. The crowds were coming outside to find out what was going on and what they saw before them was a spectacular lightshow. Why was this happening they wondered?

Back at the tavern, two figures stepped outside to view the skyline. Some of patrons that came out to see the noise started to go back in when they came upon the pair. Yataka was seen before when he stood by the back room, but when the crowd noticed his companion, they all froze and many of them started going off to different directions.

"I don't believe it!" Yataka sighed." Some of these guys are the toughest criminals in the universe and they're running at the sight of you! I guess you're plan is working after all boss."

"It sure looks like it, now lets get outta here." Our sinister villain started to laugh with satisfaction.

"Boss, look! A security camera is roaming in the air." Yataka noticed. "They're sure to spot you."

"That's the idea you twit! Now when we get back aboard the ship, let our 'murderer' go" The boss stared back as Yataka nodded when suddenly a transport beam engulfs them and returns them to their ship.

_This is going to be a sweet victory. Between having access to Braga's laundered money accounts and having the person 'responsible' for this on camera, I'm finally getting even with you. O_ur true killer gloating over the setup that had taken place…

Scene II

(One week earlier…)

Summer was in full swing in the Masaki house. The sky was a deep blue with a scattering of clouds over the horizon. A slight breeze could be felt as it came from across the lake. All the trees and flowers were at their glorious colors and as we come closer to the house, it appeared that this afternoon a celebration was almost under way.

"Mihoshi, can you please pass the salt? The meat is almost cooked, but it needs a little more seasoning." A busy Sasami asked in her mission to get all the food ready for the party.

"Sure, Sasami. Let me just get the tablecloth here so I can help Kiyone outside." Replied the blonde Galaxy Police officer. "Boy, I think you really outdid yourself this time. It looks and smells wonderful."

"Thanks Mihoshi…" Sasami smiled as she turned off the oven and headed over to the salad bowl. "I want this to be a special day that Tenchi will never forget."

"Yeah, I hope so too. He really worked hard over the summer to finally finish his classes in school. Those six months being kidnapped by Haruna almost screwed up his education." Mihoshi said, remembering the harrowing experience.

"I know. It almost cost him his chance to go to college. Not that I really understand much about it, but if it really important to him and Nobuyuki, then it's only fair that we help support him." Sasami answered with a wide grin.

Up at the shrine, Tenchi Masaki was busy sweeping away upper stairs leading to the shrine. His thoughts were everywhere, but to his chores. _Even in a day that everyone is throwing a party for me, Grandpa still has me doing my chores. Me. Tenchi Masaki! Possessor of the Jurai Power! The one who defeated the evil Kagato! _

He looked down and stared at his old wooden broom and lets out a heavy sigh, _Reduced to the task of sweeping the temple floors, and the worst of it is if I decline to do it today, it's double duty tomorrow… _

"Don't complain Tenchi. I could have you do your sword training all day." Declared a smiling Yosho, "But since this is a special day, I'll let it pass…"

"Really Grandpa! Don't you think I've done enough this past year with having to go to night classes AND summer school so I can graduate on time for college. I mean between that and the usual hijinks that occurs in this house, I'm surprised I haven't dropped dead from stress!"

Yosho looked back at him while trying to contain his laughter, "You're too young to die from such ailments. Besides, if you can survive this experience and learn from it, you can master the many difficulties in your life."

"Maybe so Gramps, but why couldn't you have 'persuaded' the school administration to let pass me with the rest of the my classmates?" Tenchi asked.

Yosho stared up in the sky, wondering where had the time flown. "Even a person such as myself with the Jurai power cannot undo the six months that were lost when you were taken away to Haruna's world. Not to mention the time missed when we set out to Jurai to defeat Kagato."

The Shrinemaster then looked back at his grandson with a straight face, not showing any concern nor sympathy, "Tenchi, considering what this family has gone through over the last two years and considering the 'other' problem you still need to take care of, don't you believe this is a small price to pay?"

Tenchi looked back at his elder and thought about it. _Damn it! He's right, as always. He did manage to 'talk' to the principal about arranging my classes so I get everything done before summer finished. Otherwise, I would have to make up another year. Gods! That would have been embarrassing! _

"You're right Grandpa. It's just that I got so much on my mind lately that I forget that there are things in life I should be grateful for; getting back from Haruna's world for one." The young prince reluctantly agreed.

"Speaking of which Tenchi, now that school is out of the way, what do you plan on telling the girls?" Inquired Yosho.

_The girls! _Tenchi thought. _I made them promised not to argue or bother me while I concentrated on my studies. It was hard for Ayeka and Ryoko, especially Ryoko. _He turned around and looked down towards the house, his mind searching for that first moment when he suspected that a certain cyan haired space pirate was holding his heart captive.

_I knew I had strong feelings for her ever since we returned from our 'time and space adventures'. The mere fact that she gave up her 'perfect world' to come back to our reality made me realized that she really had deep feelings for me and not just an some sort of crush… _Tenchi's face brightened up and started to show a slight smile.

_But I never knew how much she meant to me until that final battle with Kagato. She wanted me to go away with her, thinking she can protect me. Even when she knew I was still going to stop that madman and save Ayeka, she still helped me despite the injuries she suffered. _Tenchi remembered back as he felt his eyes starting to tear up.

After he defeated Kagato, he had the chance to become the Emperor of Jurai with Ayeka at his side, but he had no emotional attachments with the birthplace of his grandfather's and the one question that kept constantly racing through his mind was what had happened to Ryoko after he left Ryo-oki to storm the palace? Those feelings and being homesick made him realized that he had no business being king of some far away empire with a princess whom he adored, but could not see her anymore but as a dear friend.

He remembered how his heart nearly burst with joy when the golden eye beauty came back to him a few days after he arrived back from Jurai. The way she jumped from midair and landed into his arms made him feel all warm and tingly. And when she gave him a loving embrace, he didn't hesitated in returning his affections as well.

Yosho stared at his grandson when he didn't response to his query. _Guess he's daydreaming about her… _

Tenchi's mind was definitely in dreamland right about now. His next thoughts were at the moment when Haruna's spirit finallyreleased him and went off with the young image of Yosho to her final resting place _Despite my yelling at her, and thinking she couldn't reach me with her heart, my Ryoko came back for me. When we returned, I knew then that my feelings for her were more than just friendship or an infatuation, I knew at that moment I really was in love with her as well. _

He recalled how they sorted 'connected' when they returned from Haruna's world and while they've gottencloser over the months, he still hadn't gotten the courage to tell her how he really felt_. I can honestly say that she's my best friend and I can't imagine my life without her, but for the life of me I can't seem to muster enough nerve to tell her I love her. I know it's driving her crazy, but she seems so understanding about it. _

He lets out a heavy sigh when the images shifted from his true love to the Jurai princess_ And what about Ayeka? I love her dearly, but only as a sister. I'm afraid to tell her of my decision would be. And by doing that, she feels that she still has a chance to win over my heart. To make matters worse, the bond that the girls have developed when they went searching for me is starting to wear off. Lately, they been going at each other like the old days, I can't help but think that I'm responsible for their fighting again. _"GODS! Why am I so dense?"

"Tenchi, you're thinking out loud." Yosho whispered behind his left ear.

Tenchi jumped up, "YIKES! Geez, Grandpa, don't do that!"

"Sorry my boy, you seemed lost in thought. I assume you're thinking about the 'other' problem?" Asked Gramps.

"Yes Grandpa, I think it's time for me to confront them on my feeling towards them. They deserved to be told and hopefully they won't skin me alive when I tell them, heh-heh" Tenchi answered as he lets out a nervous laugh.

"Then perhaps you should wait until after the celebration to tell them of your decision; at least they'll be happy together for one moment. I'm confident that Ayeka will not try to kill you when you finally tell her the bad news." Yosho reasoned.

"Grandpa? How are you so sure that I'm going to pick Ryoko over Ayeka?" Tenchi looked at him with confusion.

"Tenchi…I may be old and weathered down, but I been around long enough in this wonderful land to see all sorts of feelings and emotions that people, especially young people who can convey their thoughts and expressions to each other without saying a word. I've noticed the facial expressions on your face when Ryoko is around you nowadays. When she first came to us, there wouldn't be a day that she couldn't make you blush or that occasional nosebleed when you stumbled upon her naked in the onsen."

Tenchi could see the wide grin on his grandfather's face when he mentioned the last comment. He also noticed his face feeling warm. Was he blushing again? He checked his cheeks while Yosho continued with his observation.

"But lately whenever you two are close to each other, you've been receptive to her presence, even smiling when she sits next to you during mealtime. From this viewpoint, I occasionally see the both of you sitting on the branches of Funaho. Talking I assume?"

If Tenchi wasn't red before, he certainly was now. "G-Grandpa, y-you were spying on me?"

"No grandson, Nobuyuki does that. I merely get out of the shrine from time to time to get some air and just happen to see the both of you by the tree."

"Well, no-nothing happened Grandpa! R-Really! We just go there to talk. That's all!" Tenchi said with a guilt-ridden expression on his face.

"I believe you." Yosho looked at him with a straight face. "But the question is do YOU want something to happen?"

"I do Grandpa, but I'm afraid of what Ayeka and the others will feel if I express my love for Ryoko. I don't want to see 'our family' fall apart because of my decision." Tenchi looked down at the ground dejectedly.

Yosho shook his head and stared at Tenchi, "I can't speak for the girls, but I don't believe that they would leave if you suddenly decide to choose. They already have their suspicions that this choice is between Ryoko and Ayeka. If that were the case, officers Kiyone and Mihoshi would have stayed at Galaxy Police headquarters and Washu would have found another place to cause chaos and mischief.

He then walked over to him and placed his left hand on his right shoulder. "They love you because you ARE their family, like the rest of us. All this will probably hurt Ayeka, but ultimately it will be her decision to stay or not. So do not be overly distressed by her hurt feelings my boy. Remember, she is still to be Empress of Jurai. Sooner or later, she will have to return to rule, and since you already renounced the throne. She has little options."

"Grandpa, you make it like it such a simple thing for her to accept her role in the Jurai Royal Family." Tenchi interrupted as he stared down towards the house, seeing the preparation for the party getting under way. With a sullen look on his face, he looked back at the old Jurai prince. "I guess there's no other way then?"

"As long as you make the choice with your heart and be true to them as you always have, they'll respect your decision. Besides, your father and I were discussing of what your first child with Ryoko would look like." The old man snickered.

Tenchi's eyes went wide, "GRANDPA! I'm just finished high school, and you and dad are already planning on my first born!"

Yosho starts to head back towards the shrine but tells Tenchi, "It's never too early to start planning for the future, but before you do, please finish sweeping the steps and I'll see you at the party."

A sweat bead dropped from Tenchi's head and sighed, _Those two are unbelievable… _But then realized_, I_ _wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't for them. I wonder if that's a good thing? _He thought about that as he scratched the back of his head and decided to finish his chores before the party. As he started to sweep the long stone steps, his thoughts drifted off again as he thinks about a certain cyan haired woman _Definitely tonight I'm going to tell Ryoko how I really feel about her. _

End prologue

What do you think? Will Tenchi finally tell Ryoko how he feels?

Will Ayeka freak out at the news?

And most important, who is our mysterious assassin and what's the

connection between him and the Masaki clan? Stay tuned.


	2. Reminiscing and Hope

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the others were thought of by me. Any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing! ENJOY!!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter One – "Reminiscing and Hope"

_Ahhhhhhhhh! Now this is my definition of Heaven! _The lovely vision of cyan beauty thought as she immersed herself in the warm waters of the Onsen. She figured she had some time left for a relaxing bath before she headed back to the house and get fancied up for the party.

As she leaned over the edge of the bath to get a sip of sake from the saucer cup, Ryoko paused to look at the small rectangular box that had Tenchi's graduation present inside. She was so excited when she brought it that it never occurred to her that she could of had it gift wrapped at the store. _No big deal, I'll just borrow some of Sasami's wrapping paper that she had left over from Tenchi's birthday. It's not so much of how it looks outside, the what's inside that counts. God, I can't believe I actually worked all summer to get it. _She smiled happily with pride.

When Tenchi announced that he was to be spending most of the time in school, it left Ryoko with a lot time on her hands and to think, thinking of how life had been for her ever since she crashed on Earth after her space fight with Galaxy Police Officer Mihoshi. _To this day, I still can't believe I was that drunk enough to let her crash her ship into Ryo-oki and force us to land on Earth… _She shook her head in dismay as she took another sip of sake and chuckled. _Not that I'm complaining now. _

(_FLASHBACK…)_

Her mind shifted back to last spring when all the girls decided to plan a party for Tenchi when he completed his studies. Everyone was debating on what to make, what to wear and mostly, what kind of present each of would give to the graduate. "Guys, it's only May, why are doing this so soon?" Ryoko asked.

"Because Ryoko, if we do things your way, we won't be planning anything until the last minute." Chided Ayeka as Ryoko glared back at the princess, her right hand becoming a fist. "Are you implying that I can't plan ahead chipmunk?"

"What I'm implying is that you'd wait until the last possible moment and then go frantic when it's not done. Some of us do like to plan things properly you know." Ayeka looked around as the rest of the group all nodded in unison.

"Besides, some of us need to save money to buy Tenchi's graduation present, so the earlier the better." Kiyone replied as she looked into her uniform pant pockets and realized she was broke again. "Mihoshi, got any money? I'm tapped out."

"Sorry Kiyone. I spent my last Yen on my manga 'Galactic Samurai', I thought you had some money left."

"No I don't dimwit! Unlike you, I remember to pay the rent first before buying the junk you spend on." Kiyone snapped while everyone else just looked away, sensing that this is going to be one of their 'moments'.

Washu then interrupted the two space cops before war broke loose between them. "Well, as the greatest scientific genius in the universe, I'll just whip up something in the lab that will dazzle Lord Tenchi. I just need some time to figure out what."

"Ayeka, what are we going to get for Tenchi?" Sasami asked her big sister.

"Don't worry Sasami, I already have something in mind, so what you need to worry about is what are we going to eat at the party. Maybe later on we'll prepare a menu on what you would like to cook."

"Sounds good Ayeka." The little princess replied as she looked up at her big sister. Then her eyes lit up when she realized, "Oh my gosh! It's almost lunchtime! Tenchi will be heading back from the carrot fields with Ryo-oki and I didn't make anything yet!" And with that, the blue hair girl darted back into the house and straight to the kitchen.

"Say Ryoko, what are you planning on getting Tenchi for his graduation?" Washu asked, " It's not like you gonna put a bow on yourself and yell surprise!"

"M...Miss Washu!! Don't give the monster woman any crazy ideas!! She'll also likely go naked & surprise Lord Tenchi in his room!" Snapped Ayeka.

"Well that was an interesting suggestion, but somehow princess, I don't think you'll let me pull it off…" Smirked the space pirate, "But don't get mad because I'll look good doing it and you can't."

"And what do you mean by that?" Ayeka asked as a look of annoyance started to appear on her face.

"Let's just say that Tenchi probably couldn't get a nosebleed if he ever saw you naked in his bed." Ryoko smiled as she pointed towards the princess' chest or there lack of. "I wouldn't consider 'those' real competition to me." Washu, Kiyone and Mihoshi all stood there with sweat beads coming down from the back of their heads. _Here they go again… _they sighed in their thoughts.

"H…H...How dare you! I will not stand here to be insulted by the likes of you! Y-You monster woman!" Ayeka yelled back as the veins on her left temple started to bulge. Both girls started to power up as Washu stepped in between them as she tried to diffuse the situation.

"Ladies, this isn't helping us here. Lord Tenchi is going to be back here any minute now and I don't think he'll be too please if he saw the two of you slugging it out. Let's cool off for now and continue our party planning later tonight. Agreed?"

Kiyone jumped in, "She's right. Besides Mihoshi and I are late for our patrol. So we'll take this up later, Ok?"

Ryoko and Ayeka paused, realizing the predicament they were getting into. They powered down and sighed at one another.

"Sorry Ayeka. I guess I hit a sore spot. I didn't mean it though." Ryoko said as she stretched out her right hand.

"I'm sorry also Ryoko. This isn't about us. We should focus our attention to Lord Tenchi's graduation and settle our differences later." Ayeka then put her right hand out as both shook hands for a temporary ceasefire. 

While the GP Officers took off for Yagami, the rest headed towards the dining area while Sasami prepared lunch. 

"What's on the menu Sasami? I'm starved!" Ryoko asked. She could almost her stomach rumbled as the little girl came out with large salad bowl.

"Here's the salad. I'll be out with the Sushi and rice cakes in a few minutes, so dig in."

"Save some for Lord Tenchi, Ryoko. He should be arriving in a few moments." Ayeka reminded Ryoko, worried the cyan hair girl will clean up the salad bowl.

"Relax chipmunk, I know better than that." Ryoko mumbled back.

"Seriously Ryoko, have you thought of what you would like to give to Lord Tenchi for a present?"

"Honestly Ayeka, I haven't given it much thought. Figure I got time for that later."

That's not totally true. I do have something in mind for my Tenchi, but the question is how am I going to buy it? I ain't got money and stealing is out of the question. I could ask Ayeka to let me borrow some, but I could hear it now: 'What's the matter? Space Pirate Ryoko can't afford to buy a simple present for Lord Tenchi? Maybe you should rob the local bank for money. It's what you do best.'

"Ryoko, are you listening to me?" Ayeka asked while waving her left hand to see if she was paying attention.

"Yeah Princess I hear you." She replied, "Anyway, by the time the party comes around, I'll have my present for Tenchi one way or another." As she finished, a certain cabbit phased through the kitchen door and ran into the room.

"Hey Ryo-oki!" Sasami smiled as she was happy to she her playmate. "You're back. I guess Tenchi should be walking through the door any second now."

"Ladies, we'll discuss about the festivities later." Washu said as they got down to eat and waited for Tenchi to walk in….

That night Ryoko figured there was only one thing left to do. The next morning she woke up early before Sasami made breakfast, took a quick bath in the Onsen and changed clothes. Before anyone knew where she went, she traveled to the town of Kurashiki and went job hunting.

The only problem was that she wasn't sure in what she was good at. The only job she ever held on Earth was the waitress job she and Ayeka had when they were in Toyko looking for Tenchi. And while she managed not to get fired, her work ethic was less than exemplary.

_Damn! Why couldn't somebody drop their wallet and leave me with a couple of thousand yens?!?S_he thought to herself as she looked through the newspaper ads and searched over the rows of businesses that were hiring summer help. One thing she did remember was to dress appropriately in case she did get an interview. With a long pleated beige skirt, a white blouse with a small red bowtie and with a matching dress jacket, she figured if she looked the part, somebody might hire her on good looks alone. She also tied her hair back in order to look more business like. If she kept her wild cyan mane loose, it might give the wrong impression to certain people. _I may be desperate for a job, but not that desperate. _She said to herself as she walked the streets of the old district of the city. 

As she crossed the street, she happened to look up and saw the big red and white store sign of 'Okayama Department Store Merchandise, since 1959'. She strolled up to the window display and saw something that caught her attention. It was a sign that said '**For Hire**, no experience necessary'. _God, I'm in luck. Lets see if I don't screw this up. _Ryoko thought to herself as she went in.

She entered the store and asked about the hiring position. She waited for a couple minutes until an older, balding gentleman walked over and identified himself as the store manager. He told Ryoko that the position was for stock clerk and occasional cashier when the summer crowds started to come. He had no problem with inexperienced people as long as they worked hard and do as they're told. "People who want to learn can be taught, but lazy people have no use in this store, got it?" The store manager stressed to the golden-eyed girl if she wanted the position. The only thing she needed to do was to fill out the employment form for home address, phone number to be reached and any references that would be useful. _Hmmmm... Forget the restaurant. I think the manager only put up with me was because he liked Ayeka… _Ryoko then thought maybe Nobuyuki could help. _He got an office in Okayama, maybe he can put in a good word for me. _

She put down Nobuyuki's work number and told the manager he could call tomorrow if he needed to. Her only other questions were how much was the salary and when could she start.

"Well, the pay is starting around 875 yen per hour, but that don't include commission if you sell any merchandise as a cashier. As far as starting, is the day after tomorrow good enough?" Ryoko nodded her head with satisfaction.

"Great. Well, I'll look over your application and we'll see you Monday. Ok uh, Miss Masaki?"

"Sure thing sir. Oh by the way, uh, do I get something of a discount if I buy anything in the store?" Ryoko inquired.

"Of course, employees get a 25% discount on all merchandise. Why? You do see something you like already?" The manager asked.

Ryoko pointed over towards the window display, "Yes, that item over there. Is it expensive?"

"Sort of. But if you do well here, maybe we can work something out. I take it that it's for someone special?" The store manager was starting to get nosy right about then.

"Y...Yes it is. I'm looking for something special that will show him how much he means to me." Ryoko started to get flustered. She was not the usual type to reveal anything personal to total strangers, but figured this may help get some sympathy with the manager. 

"Is there anything else you need sir?"

"Nope, that's all for now young lady. I'll see you bright and early Monday morning, Ok?"

"Yes I will and thank you for hiring me. You won't regret it!" Ryoko replied as she headed outside and breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank the gods this is over! I can't believe I have go through this to buy a present for Tenchi. This is really a pain in the ass! _Ryoko muttered to herself, but looking back she realized…_Then again, I wouldn't do this for anybody except for my sweet Tenchi. What people do for love. _ She scratched the back of her head and realized it was time to head back to the house…

(END FLASHBACK)

"Hey Ryo-oki! Where did you come from? I didn't hear you coming in." Ryoko said as her cabbit phased into the baths and startled her. "Miya Miya?" The little fur ball sounded off as if asking her mistress a question.

"Yeah, I'm ok. I was just thinking about the last few months and how busy I was, but you know what? Everything turned out perfect. Now let's get back and change before they start the party without us." Ryoko gleefully said as she dried herself off and phased into her regular clothes to head back to the house. "Ryo-oki? You think Tenchi will like my gift?"

"Miya?" The cabbit answered with a quizzical look on her face like 'you're kidding?'

"Sorry. I guess you're right. It's just I want it to be perfect for him and now that he's finished with school for now, maybe he'll see how much he means to me. Hell, he might even finally admit on whom he loves the most! What do you think Ryo-oki?"

The cabbit jumped on top of Ryoko's head and yelled out "Miya, Miya!" as if saying everything was possible.

The pirate smiled. If there was one being in the universe that actually understood Ryoko's feelings, it was her faithful companion. Even though the cabbit was spending her days more with Sasami, Ryoko knew that her little friend would always be there for her no matter what happened.

                                                                        **************************************

"I can't believe the likeness of the portrait is so life-like." Observed an astonished Ayeka as she got some wrapping paper to cover her present to Tenchi.

Right in front of her, leaning against the wall was a large commissioned painting of Tenchi, dressed in a Juraian noble wardrobe. When the battle against Kagato was over. The Masaki family spent several weeks on Jurai recovering from their wounds and fatigue. In that time, Yosho and Tenchi had to wear the clothing specially worn by the Jurai Royal Family. Tenchi obliged, but Ayeka could tell that he wasn't too comfortable wearing such lavish garments. 

During that time, every photo and video shot was taken of the Masaki clan. As the anointed hero who vanquished the evil Kagato, Tenchi had his face plastered all over the universe. Privacy was a scarce thing. Under Yosho's guidance however, the young prince managed to get by. It was during one of these photo sessions that one of Jurai's public relation people gave the princess a series of photos that happened to be set aside for a photo album of the Royal Family.

When Tenchi finally returned to Earth, Ayeka was heartbroken that he left, but knew they would meet again someday. Until then, she kept the photo album as a memento of their time together. But there was one picture that sort of stuck out: the shot of Tenchi posing in the Juraian outfit, holding Sword Tenchi with his right hand against his chest. Ayeka couldn't help but notice how handsome and noble he looked in that still pose. So when the idea of what to get Tenchi for a graduating gift came up, she thought of the picture instantly.

After the girls had planned for the party in advance, the princess asked Washu if she could contact Jurai from her lab. From there, she contacted the royal knights Azaka and Kamidake to have an artist commissioned to paint the portrait. When it was completed, a royal transport brought the portrait over through space and was beamed down to the Masaki household.

Since then, the portrait had been kept under wraps in the princess' room. Ayeka made Sasami swear not to say anything to the other girls until the party. She also had the guardians keep watch outside their room when they weren't there. Ayeka wanted it to be a pleasant surprise for Tenchi and no one, especially Ryoko, was going to spoil it.

"I must say princess, the resemblance is eerie, but it does compliment Lord Tenchi's likeness" Commented Azaka the Guardian.

"Yes indeed, the prince will be most pleased." Fellow Guardian Kamidake added.

"Do you really think so? I'm hoping this isn't being overzealous, but I do really want to give a good impression." Ayeka worried at first, but as she kept looking at the portrait, she couldn't help but smile and feel overjoyed_. Perhaps this may show Lord Tenchi how much I really do love him. _She thought to herself.

Ayeka went over to her closet and pulled out the white bed sheet that she used to keep the painting covered. She ordered the Guardians to carefully lift it out the open window and watch over it by the deck. "Yes your highness!!" They responded in unison.

As soon as they left, she changed into her light green summer kimono and walked downstairs to the kitchen to find Sasami putting the vegetable dumplings on a serving tray.

"Sasami, are you finished yet? You need to get ready for the party." Ayeka asked as she surveyed all the dishes her little sister had prepared.

"All done cooking sis, but I need to take the food outside." Sasami answered as she took out the chopsticks and serving utensils.

"Never mind that Sasami! I'll take care of it while you run upstairs and change. Lord Tenchi should be arriving from the shrine soon…"

"Ok Ayeka. Did you bring the painting downstairs? I can't wait 'til Tenchi sees it." The little princess said with an excited face. She practically waited all summer for this and just thinking about Tenchi opening his present was giving her goosebumps.

"Yes sister, Azaka and Kamidake transported it outside just a few minutes ago. Now go upstairs and change…"

"Ayeka? Do you think after the party, Tenchi might get around to choosing who he wants to be with?" Sasami startled her big sister with that question. Ayeka looked back at her with astonishment. With everything that was going on, she figured that would be the last thing on her mind.

"I don't know Sasami. But really, this is about Tenchi graduating from his high school. I doubt that issue will surface today, but it would be nice if he did get around to that." Ayeka let out a sigh as she looked at her sister, but changed her expression quickly to a smile so as not to worry her younger sibling. "Get going Sasami!"

"Be right back!" And with that the little Juraian girl ran up the stairs and into her room to change, but as she grabbed her yellow summer dress, she couldn't help but wondered…

_I love Ayeka with all my heart and it would be nice to have Tenchi as a brother-in-law, but somehow, I wouldn't be too sad if chooses Ryoko. _ She pondered, _I love Ryoko like a sister too and if Tenchi decides to stay with her, I'd be happy for them as well. W_ith that, the little princess got dressed and went downstairs.

_                                                                        **************************************_

"All finished!  Now to gift wrap it and head outside! Once again, I have proven that Washu is most brilliant scientific genius in the whole universe HA-HA-HA!" Bellowed the little redhead.

"Yeah Washu! You're the greatest! Yeah Washu, you're a genius!" Washu-bots A & B cried out in unison; obviously trying to suck up to their creator.

"Well, you guys know that, but I hope Tenchi knows that to after he opens this box." Washu couldn't help but smile when she looked at the box with her latest gizmo. In all the years she roamed the universe before being sealed in the crystal meteorite and even at the science academy, she could hardly recalled if she ever gave someone a present for any particular reason. She figured that being busy creating all sort of inventions (and having them destroyed by the academy due to being too dangerous for the universe) she never actually got close to anyone to give them something special.

But that all changed when she was accidentally released by Ryoko in the cave. Living with Tenchi and the rest of the Masaki clan sort of mellowed her out. When she returned from her disgraceful dismissal as honorary chairperson of the Science Academy, everyone was happy to see her again. _One of the few happy non-scientific events in my life. _She happily reminisced as a tear fell from her face. 

Well, if anything, this will be my way of saying 'thank you' to Lord Tenchi for treating me like one of the family. It's a good feeling to have. Too bad it took me over 700 years to figure it out. Sighed Washu. And with that she got up from her floating chair and headed out the door for the festivities.

                                                                        *************************************

"Ok Mihoshi, the table spread is set, the paper lanterns are hung up and I just hooked up the Karaoke machine. Is there anything left?" Asked GP Officer Kiyone.

"Well let's see…ummm, Ayeka is bringing out the rest of the food, cups, liquid refreshments, munchies…oh yeah, are we drinking any Sake Kiyone?"

"Yeah, but that's Ryoko's department. She said she brought a case of the premium stuff from the liquor store yesterday, but I wouldn't be surprised if she drank the whole thing." Mumbled Kiyone.

"Oh Kiyone. You shouldn't be so negative about Ryoko. After all, this is her 'graduation day' too you know…"

Kiyone looked at her partner with utter confusion. "And what pray tell is that suppose to mean?"

"Well, since Tenchi is finished with his studies, Ryoko can go back to seducing him and fighting with Ayeka again." Explained the blonde woman.

"And that's suppose to be a good thing?" Kiyone was starting to get one of those headaches whenever Mihoshi tries to explain certain things logically.

"Well, at least things will be back to normal after today, and we'll see Tenchi more often." Mishoshi was starting to babble on when Ayeka came out with last tray of food. Kiyone couldn't help but muttered to herself, _Thank God for the interruption! _

"Is there anything else left to do princess?" Mishoshi asked.

"No. I think we're all set, but Mihoshi, why are you and Kiyone dressed for duty? I thought this was your day off?" Ayeka curiously asked.

"Well princess, we received several reports from HQ regarding some criminal activity in the solar system and were ordered to investigate. So we'll only be able to stay for a short while." Kiyone answered.

"That's not fair Kiyone!! I wanted to party down today!! Couldn't we report for duty later?" Pleaded Mihoshi.

"We can't Mihoshi! HQ said this was important. We'll just stay until Tenchi opens his presents and then we'll leave."

"Uh Kiyone? By any chance, are you holding our present to Tenchi?"

"No Mihoshi, You were suppose to wrap it up remember?" Kiyone snapped back, sensing that headache was coming on strong. As she stared back at her partner and saw that blank expression on her face, she knew the ditz had screwed up.

"MIHOSHI!! Where did you put Tenchi's present?!? You do remember where it is right?" The angry teal haired officer was starting to lose it.

"Of course I know where it is. It's in the box by my futon, all wrapped up. I'm not that absent minded you know." The blonde officer was feeling smug until she saw her partner's face starting to glow red with anger.

"You dimwit!! Do you realize you left it at our apartment? How scatterbrain can you be?!?"

Mishoshi's brain suddenly woke up and realizing what she did, she began to sob non-stop. "I...I'm sorry. I…I just don't know what I was thinking.

Ayeka intervened, "Well Mihoshi, if you hurry up and go back to the apartment, you could be back in time for the party. Everybody won't be here for awhile yet." The blonde girl suddenly perked up and looked back at her partner, "Is it ok Kiyone?"

"Go ahead Mihoshi. It's the least you can do, but make it quick." With that, Mihoshi ran across the front entrance and headed for the bus stop to get to town.

As she headed off, Ayeka and Kiyone looked at each other and sighed. "She's really something isn't she?"

"Yeah princess, a real piece of work. I'm amazed that I haven't tried to kill her at times." The frustrated officer replied and without giving a second thought, both girls finish up with the preparations.

                                                                        **************************************

Tenchi tiptoed past the vegetable shed and through the kitchen. Seeing no one around he sneaked upstairs and into the bathroom. He knew Ryoko would be bathing at the Onsen, so he figured it would safer taking a shower in the house. _I'm not ready to face her yet. Maybe after a few sips of Sake, I'll be brave enough to tell her how I feel. _He surmised, but wasn't sounding positive about it.

After a quick shower, he ducked into his room and searched in his closet the new blue shirt and tie he brought last week. As he turned around, he saw something lay out on his bed. It was a cap and gown from school. On top of the cap was a note with his name inscribed on the envelope. As he opened it, he recognized the writing. It was a surprise from his dad, Nobuyuki.

The inscription read: _Dear son, I know you wanted to be with your classmates and walk up the aisle and hear the applause from the crowd when you received your diploma. But since you couldn't, I thought this would help and not to worry, we'll still going to cheer when you step outside the door. I'm so proud of you my son. And I know your mother from heaven is smiling upon you right now. Love Dad._

Tenchi couldn't help but smile. He got dressed and tried on his graduation gown, _Not bad, let's see how my cap looks. _

He put on his cap and adjusted the tassel. It felt a little big on him, but he's too happy now to complain. He took the note and folded it into his left pocket. _Thanks Dad, I love you. H_e said to himself as smiled coming out of his room.

As he slid the door open, he accidentally bumped into Ayeka, who was coming from outside. "Oops, sorry about that Miss Ayeka. Didn't see you coming."

"That's alright Lord Tenchi, I know you must be all excited!" The princess suddenly noticed the cap and gown on Tenchi and couldn't help but smile with a wide grin. "My you look so handsome with that Tenchi. Is that the customary attire when someone graduates from high school?"

"Yep. Dad left for me as a surprise. I guess he wanted me to have a taste of what its like to be in a graduate ceremony. Pretty cool don't you think?"

"Indeed it is. Are you coming down now?" Ayeka asked.

"Yes I am…" Tenchi replied, "Is everybody outside yet?"

"No, not yet. I'm going to check on Sasami now. Mihoshi had to go back to her apartment to retrieve something and I believe Lord Yosho is still at the shrine.

"Have you seen Ryoko?" Tenchi asked with a look of anticipation on his face that didn't escaped the princess' eyes.

"Uhh…no Lord Tenchi, not yet, but you know her. She likes to make a dramatic entrance wherever she goes. She'll turn up soon enough and with the Sake I hope."

"Yeah, you're right Miss Ayeka, I'm sure Ryoko will make her presence known soon enough." Tenchi nodded in response and turned towards to staircase to go outside, not knowing that the cyan hair woman was eavesdropping on their conversation from her room.

"Wonder why he was looking for me Ryo-oki? Is he afraid I'll disrupt the festivities?" Ryoko asked her furry companion, but Ryo-oki just gave a small 'miya' and phased out of the room to join the others outside. "Gee, thanks for the help fur ball." Mumbled Ryoko.

She quickly phased into her new outfit, a powdered blue summer dress with matching sandals. The dress wasn't too revealing, but enough to let Tenchi know she was all '_woman_'_. I'm glad I gave Sasami my money for safekeeping, otherwise it's my blue and yellow dress and that's starting to be played out too often. _ Ryoko thought to herself as she looked in the mirror, checking herself out. "Not bad. You are one good looking space pirate!"

As she grabbed Tenchi's present and started to gift wrap it, her thoughts went back to the last three months working at the store.

As promised, she showed up on time and did everything that was required for her do. There were moments that she wanted to kill unsavory customers, screaming children and the male employees that were hitting on her whenever possible.

When they put her at the cash register, she felt uneasy at first. When she saw all that money, her old pirate instincts were telling her to take the money and run. Too easy, she said to herself. The point to all this was to earn enough money to buy Tenchi's present and maybe a few things for her as well. _How can I be worthy of Tenchi's love if I decide to rip off a department store? I need to do this honestly and be sincere about it. _ She reasoned.

Because she did so well, the manager saved the item that Ryoko wanted to give to Tenchi so badly. He even gave it to her with a bigger discount with no strings attached and with the money she was earning, she managed to buy some dresses for herself, a stuff animal for Sasami, carrot treats for Ryo-oki and even some of the good Sake for the weekends.

Whatever money was left, she gave to Sasami for safekeeping, figuring she couldn't trust herself with it. _I'll probably drink up a whole bar if I kept any extra cash around. _She would tell herself, but with Sasami holding the money, she had enough to buy all the stuff she wanted and even took her last paycheck from the job and got a case of Sake for the party. She just had to remember not to drink the whole thing before the party…

Ryoko looked at the mirror once more. While to most earthlings a job like hers may seem easy, it was challenge to the golden eye beauty. She went about it the right way and was very satisfied at the end result. _I'm proud of myself. Maybe when I give Tenchi his present, and tell him how I got it, He'll see how much I love him and maybe be proud of me too. _ As she finished, she went into her closet, picked up the case of Sake and grabbed her present. She headed towards the window and phased outside to join the party. 

On an adjoining mountain near the Masaki house, a cloaked dark figure sat behind the trees observing the events taking place. He adjusted his binoculars to expand his search until he saw his intended target. He then pulled out a communication device and contacted his superior.

"This is Oto. I have the house in sight. How should I proceed?" A response in code beeped back and the cloaked man answered back, "Acknowledged. Will continue to observe until further instructions, Oto out!" He then sat back down and picked up the binoculars once again, looking at his intended target. 

End chapter one

*The party's about to start, how will it end?

*Will the princess and the space pirate play nice?

*And most important, who is our spy and which one of the Masaki family is he observing?

 Stay tuned.

A/N: I wrote this chapter at two in the morning, so if there are any questions you would like to ask or clear up, you can e-mail me at a.falc@verizon.net. Anything else you can leave with reviews.


	3. Let the Celebration Begin

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the others were thought of by me. Any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing! ENJOY!!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Two – "Let the Celebration Begin"

"I'm telling you Tetsuo, there's no way a guy can be so innocent with that many girls living under one roof, unless he's either making it up or he's gay."

"Come on Amagasaki! This is Tenchi we're talking about! He's not the type to do something like that unless one of them is his girlfriend, which I think is the reason he's been holding out on us and don't forget who his grandfather is. He'll probably get whacked with a bokka if he tried any monkey business around the old man!"

Former classmates Amagasaki and Tetsuo were on their way to the Masaki Residence to celebrate their friend's completion of high school. They were disappointed that their classmate couldn't be with them at the school festivities a few months ago. Part of the disappointment was that they wanted to see if there was any truth to Tenchi's stories about the girls that were living with him. To have that many women staying in one place and none of them being his girlfriend was hard to believe. However, when Tenchi invited them to the celebration, this was an opportunity they couldn't pass up. 

As they drove up to the gate entrance in Tetsuo's sun yellow Mazda RX7, they noticed two strange looking logs with strange markings painted on their front side. One log actually turned sideways and addressed them as they left the car and approached the gate.

"Good afternoon. It's a lovely day isn't it?" The log with the red markings commented, "Are you here for Lord Tenchi's party?"

"U…uh yes. Is h..he here?" Aamagaski stammered. "H…he's expecting us."

"Yes, Lord Tenchi is expecting some company. Please go right in and enjoy yourself. " Replied the other log with the blue markings.

As they quickly stepped past the Guardians, both boys were at a loss for words. 

"Did Tenchi say anything about having some kind of robot sentry Amagaski? I know his father is an architect, but is he into robotics?" Tetsuo asked.

"Never mentioned it and as far as I know, nobody in his family is that loaded to have that kind of security." Replied the large nosed boy. "I'm wondering what other surprises has Tenchi been hiding from us?" 

"All I care about is checking out those girls. No way in hell does a guy live with that many and doesn't get any action. One of them has got to be his main squeeze." Tetsuo kept saying as they reached the house and saw the deck of the front entrance and to their amazement, they saw all the girls standing around, laughing in conversation.

"Well I'll be damned! He wasn't bull shitting us Saki!" Testsuo yelled out. He had to blink twice to be sure he wasn't dreaming.

"They all look gorgeous! Even the little blue hair girl is cute Tetsuo. No wonder Tenchi hardly ever hangs out after school!"

As the two boys kept gawking at the Masaki 'girls', a pair of strong hands firmly grabbed each boy's shoulders from behind. "My, what do we have here? Can it be, a pair of peeping Toms invading the privacy of my home?"

Both boys jumped and turned, only to realize it was Tenchi's grandfather, Katsuhito. They both bowed to him and quickly offered their apologies.

"Our apologies honorable sir, we didn't mean to stand here staring. We were uh, looking for Tenchi!" Testsuo said nervously as the old Shrinemaster gave both boys a whimsical look.

"Relax, boys. No damage was done. Why don't I escort the both of you over to the front and you can introduce yourselves to the family?"

"Family? You mean you're all related?" Amagasaki sulked, as he never considered the possibility that the girls might have been relatives of Tenchi, "Funny, they don't look like Tenchi. In fact, some of them look American or European." 

"I didn't say they were related by blood, they're just close friends who are staying with us. Just say hello and I'm sure you fellows will have your curiosities satisfied." Yosho couldn't helped but smiled as he looked at the confused faces of the two young men. _Boys will be boys…_ the old Juraian mused to himself.

                                                                        **************************************

Fifteen minutes later, everybody was mingling with one another until the front door slid open and out came the graduate.

As he stepped out onto the deck of the house, dressed up with his graduation cap and gown, he was greeted by applause from his family and friends. Tenchi couldn't believe this day had actually come as he flashed the biggest smile he probably ever had as everyone came up to him with hugs and kisses, congratulating him for a job well done. Tenchi Masaki the high school student from the Okayama Perfecture was officially Tenchi Masaki the Graduate.

As the sun was setting down over the green mountains of rural Japan, the celebration had been in full swing for the last couple of hours. Everybody were enjoying themselves with the food Sasami had prepared and were really getting festive after drinking loads of the Sake that Ryoko brought from the liquor store. Tenchi wasn't drinking that much as he wanted to remember all this without a hazy thought clouding his memory.

Everyone sat pretty much where they wanted to. However, the girls had a decorated chair for the man of the hour. It was positioned by the railing of the deck, which was facing behind the lake. About five feet in front was the whole buffet spread that everybody could serve him/herself. Of course, sitting at one side of the graduate was certain gorgeous space pirate and the other a lovely Juraian princess. Both felt obligated to feed their young love with as much food as possible.

"Girls, I think I had enough food already. I'm stuffed as it is." Tenchi pleaded with both of them.

"Lord Tenchi, are you positive? There's plenty left. I'll be more than happy to get you another serving." Ayeka insisted.

"No Miss Ayeka. I think two plates each from you and Ryoko is quite enough…"

"Yeah Ayeka, can't you see that Tenchi's full? Here sweetie, how's about another sip of Sake? It's the good stuff." Ryoko winked at her heart's interest but Tenchi just waved his hand no. No way he was going to get drunk and forget this night. He smiled back at the cyan hair girl with such a warm look that she couldn't help but looked puzzled at his expression, _Just a couple of hours more Masaki and you can tell her that your heart has fallen for her. _

"Ladies, excuse me for a second? I want to talk with my classmates for awhile, ok?"

"Sure Tench, but don't take too long. We're gonna have you open your presents soon, alright?" Ryoko reminded him.

"Sure. No problem. I'll be right back." Smiled the young man as he stood up and walked across the deck to chat with his pals.

"Tenchi, we want to apologize. We thought you were pulling our legs when you told us about these girls, but man were we ever wrong!" Tetsuo said as he slapped Tenchi on the back, "But you got to tell us, which one of the babes is your girl?"

"Yeah Tenchi. It's got to be one of them. No way you're gonna stand there and tell us that one of them doesn't make you get all excited. If it were me, I'll probably be taking a cold shower every night!" Amagasaki added. 

Tenchi couldn't help but grin like an idiot. If this was last year, he would told that none of them were his girlfriend, but due to recent events, He felt secure that he could tell his classmates who his preference was.

"Ok guys, I'll tell you, but promise not to tell anyone yet?"

"Sure, but why? What's the big secret?" Tetsuo asked.

"Well, only because I haven't told her yet and I was planning to spring the news to her later tonight."

"Tenchi the romantic, figures." Amagasaski sighed. "So who is it?"

Tenchi motioned both of them to come closer and whispered. "It's Ryoko, the cyan haired girl with the blue summer dress sitting next to my chair. She's the one."

Both boys looked at her with great detail, as she was busy talking with Ayeka. After several seconds, they turned back their attention towards Tenchi who was now wondering if his should had kept his mouth shut.

"Tenchi, you the man! I definitely think she's the top of the crop." Amagasaki smirked while giving Tenchi another slap on the back.

"She's really is beautiful Tench. I'm pretty sure she's a nice person too, otherwise you wouldn't keep such a big secret from us right?" Tetsuo reasoned.

"Well, she wasn't always the easiest person to get along at first, but after living with her for a couple of years, I discovered a lot of sides to her that made me realized that I'm crazy about her." 

"Well, it looks like you're not the only one getting a present tonight are you now?" Tetsuo flashed a fiendish smile at Tenchi in which the graduate just glared back "It's not like that you guys. Can't you keep your hormones in check?

"With all these girls, I'm still amazed you did Tenchi." Amagasaski scanned the deck and just shook his head with amazement. "But seriously, we're happy for you. Just let us know how everything turns out ok?"

"Sure guys, you bet. Let me get back now, but we'll talk before you leave. And thanks for coming." Tenchi answered he sneaked back to his chair before two certain ladies would start searching for him.

                                                                         *************************************

Sitting by the edge of the deck, a little girl and her cabbit were observing the festivities. The cabbit was thoroughly enjoying her carrot, and the young princess smiled with satisfaction, knowing that everybody was enjoying her special dinner. When her eyes gazed upon her sister, who was engaged in another one of her pointless arguments with Ryoko, her mood changed to a more sullen look. Next thing she knew, a pair of hands gently rested upon her shoulders.

"You are feeling well Sasami?" Asked the elder Masaki, "You seem lost in thought."

"Oh, I...I was thinking about Tenchi Grandfather…"

"Yes, Tenchi seems to have that effect whenever girls are around him…"

"No Grandfather! Not like that, heh-heh." Sasami cheeks flushed with slight shade of red when she heard Yosho's comment. "No, I was just thinking if Tenchi is ever going to choose between my sister & Ryoko."

"I'm sure he'll get around to that. _Sooner than you think child…, _but why were you thinking about it?"

"I don't know. I have this feeling that he's going to make it soon and someone's going to get hurt by it."

Yosho dropped to one knee and looked straight at the saddened princess. "And that's worries you?"

"Kind of. If he chooses Ayeka, then he'll have to back to Jurai to be emperor, right?"

"But child, Tenchi has already renounced the throne to Jurai. Ayeka would have to do some heavy convincing for Tenchi to reverse his decision." Explained the old man.

"I know. And that's why I think he's going to choose Ryoko over my sister. She's not making him choose on where to go or what to be and she'll be happy wherever she is as long as Tenchi is there with her." Sasami's eyes started to swell up as she finished talking.

_The child is very perceptive, and a good heart as well. She should not have to worry about these things. _ Yosho reasoned as he put his right hand on Sasami's left shoulder. Ryo-oki, who just finished ravaging her carrot, jumped on top of the little Juraian girl's head and 'meowed' a couple of times to see if her friend was ok.

"Sasami tell me. What do you think will happen if Tenchi decides that he loves Ryoko instead of Ayeka? Are you concerned of what her reaction will be?"

Sasami paused for a moment, thinking of what her sister might feel if she ever found out that she wasn't chosen. "Y...Yes I'm sorta worried about her. I think she noticed that Tenchi and Ryoko have gotten closer in the last few months, but I also believe that she's hoping that there's a chance that he may still go with her * sniff *. If not, I'm afraid she'll be crushed. Sasami lowered her head down as a tear escaped from left eyes and landed on the green grass by the edge of the deck.

Seeing that the child was about to cry, the old Juraian firmly held her arms. He then lifted her head up with his right index finger so his eyes would convey to her that all was not so glum.

"Listen to me Sasami. I know that when Tenchi makes his final choice, someone will be hurt, but the truth will be revealed and then the process of dealing with that rejection can begin. Should it be Ayeka; then she must learn to overcome that rejection, but believe this old man when I say that your sister is a strong person and she'll handle this in her own way. You'll see…"

"But Grandfather. If that does happens, she'll go back to Jurai and that's means that I have to go too." Sasami finally said the one item that was the root of all her preoccupied worries.

"So Sasami, is that what's really causing you to be troubled? The fear that Ayeka's rejection will impact on your staying on Earth with us?"

"Y…Yes Grandfather. I...I'm sorry that I'm laying this out on you." Sasami stammered, "You should be enjoying yourself with the rest of the family. Let me go check on the food…."

"Sasami! Do you wish to stay?" Yosho firmly asked as he held the little girl by the shoulders.

"Y...Yes I do. I love you all! I really don't want to go back to Jurai if I don't have to."

"Then perhaps when the time comes, we will speak to Ayeka on your behalf. However, understand that if she is greatly saddened by the outcome of Tenchi's decision, she will need all the support she can get and the most viable candidate for that is you, but we will cross that bridge when the time comes so let us see that happy face that I'm accustomed to every day shall we?" 

"Thank you Grandfather for being so understanding and kind. Now I know why Tenchi loves you so much." Sasami replied as the childlike carefree smile returned to her face. Ryo-oki laid out a loud 'Miya", sensing that her friend was feeling better.

As she stood up, she threw a big, loving hug around the old shrinemaster. "Yes. Well Sasami, I do believe Tenchi loves everyone in this family; even for this weathered old man." Yosho said as he flashed a smile back at Sasami. With that, Ayeka came walking over, asking if everything's ok. Sasami nodded back that everything's fine and changed the subject to other things as the three Juraians continued their conversation. 

                                                                        ***************************************

"Ok everyone! Who's going to sing on the Karaoke first? Mihoshi asked around, "How 'bout you Kiyone? Wanna pair up on a song?"

"Sure, why not? We got some time left before we go on duty. By the way Mihoshi, you didn't drink too much Sake did you?"

"Me? U..uh I don't think so ***hic*"**

"AARRGGHH!! MIHOSHI!! You ditz!! Can't you be responsible for one day without having to be told?" Her teal haired partner screamed.

"S...sorry Kiyone. I guess I got carried away, but can we still sing though?"

_Fifty thousand first class detectives on the force and I get stuck with the ultimate bubblehead…_ Kiyone sighed as she looked at her partner with utter contempt. "You go ahead, I'll see if Sasami has any tea around so you can snap out of your impaired state. No way I'm letting you near Yagami's command console in your condition!"

"If you say so Kiyone, but I really feel fine." Mihoshi responded as her irate partner went inside to find some tea. Washu then came over to see what's the blonde girl was up to. "Hey Mihoshi, gonna belt out a tune for us?"

"Yep *** hic *,** sure am, but I forgot what song I was going to sing." 

"That's Mihoshi for you. Makes me wonder how the GP has managed to survive with her among the ranks." The little scientist sighed.

As the blonde airhead futilely tried to figure out which song she was going to sing, Washu noticed Nobuyuki filming the festivities with his camcorder.

"Say Nobuyuki, did you put in a new cassette for your toy?"

"Sure Washu, why are you asking?"

"Oh nothing really, but earlier, when you had your camcorder laying on the table by the phone, I got nosy and took a peak to see if you had anything on tape…"

"WASHU!! You didn't see…"

"OOOH yes I did Nobuyuki. Shame on you! Taping the girls in the Onsen last week. I thought you were over that stuff?" Washu flashed an impish grin on the suddenly red faced father of the graduate. When he pulled out his camcorder for the party, he forgot to take out the video that showed the girls lying about in the baths, whooping it up with some Sake. Even though he knew better, his Hentai habits tended to get the best of him. 

"Honest Washu, I was going to get rid of it later when the party was over. You know I didn't mean any harm by it." He said nervously, wondering what the mad genius was going to do.

"Well, I'll let you slide this time. However, if I were you, I would worry if Ryoko ever finds out. She may be an exhibitionist when it comes to Tenchi, but she just might tie you up and strand you on Mars if she knew you were taping her naked again."

Nobuyuki breathed a sigh of relief when Sasami called his attention. "Father, can you help me in the kitchen, I want to bring out the cake now." He quickly bowed to Washu and excused himself as he ran inside to help the little princess.

_Sweet old guy, but he really needs to find another hobby, heh-heh. _She giggled as she turned her attention back to a tipsy karaoke singer known as 'Mihoshi the Chaotic'.

                                                                         **************************************

"Well Tenchi, ready to face the real world now that you're a graduate?" Asked the golden-eyed Ryoko.

"Considering I've been to other worlds, kidnapped to another dimension, and nearly inherited an galactic empire; I think college will be a breath of fresh air. What do you think Ryoko?"

She couldn't help but giggled at the way he answered her question. He was finally stress-free and relaxed for the first time in months. She looked into his soft brown eyes and found that happy expression that was missing at times when he would fret about getting his grades up and passing the required courses in order to graduate. This was the Tenchi she hadn't seen for awhile and now that he was set for college and all, maybe he'd get around to the 'choice'.

While Ryoko was lost in thought, Tenchi looked down at his secret love. His eyes focused on her features. Her spiky but smooth cyan hair, her creamy skin and the way that blue dress just clung to her curvaceous body. So flawless…so beautiful; in other words, perfect.

"Uh Ryoko?"

"Yes Tenchi? Something on your mind?" She asked as her golden eyes fixated back on the pair of gentle brown ones looking back at her.

"U...Uh, I…uh just wanted to say that you really look good tonight. You must have really gone through a lot trouble to get fixed up for the party." 

"Nah! It was no trouble really. I just wanted to look nice for your special day."

"Well Ryoko, I think you really outdid yourself this time. You look absolutely beautiful." Tenchi's face flushed a light shade of red when he realized what he just said. He can't ever recall paying such a direct, but lovely compliment to the cyan pirate, who was equally blushed, as she couldn't believe that he said it and so affectionately at that. Had she been standing, she probably would have tripped over herself after hearing such a revelation from him. _This party atmosphere must be getting to him. _ She thought.

"Tenchi I'm surprised at you! That's probably the sweetest thing you ever said to me. I'm so happy that you noticed."

"Well to be honest, there's a lot of things I've been noticing about you lately. I'm still in amazement that you actually went out and got a job…" 

"Well let me tell you, it wasn't easy at first, being a space pirate and all. I usually rob stores, not work in one, but I really wanted to get you a special gift for this day and I knew that this was the only way to do it, knowing that it would please you. I didn't want you to think that I was only good for sponging off you or Ayeka." The pirate pointed out as her face gotten a more serious look.

"Ryoko, if anyone hasn't said it to you, then let me say that I'm so proud of you. You wanted to do something special and you did it the right way. I couldn't be more happier with your decision and you should proud of yourself as well."

"Tenchi, you don't know how much that means to me. You know that I would never do anything to displease you." Ryoko held Tenchi's right hand as she looked into his eyes, "I just want to see you happy."

"I know that Ryoko. I really appreciate for what you have done for me these last few months, maybe more than I can ever express to you. Perhaps later, when the party dies down, we can go for a walk?" 

Ryoko couldn't resist flashing a wide grin when he suggested that. Anytime he was in a good mood and he wanted to be alone with her, made her absolutely ecstatic. "Sure Tenchi, I would love that!" As the two would-be lovers gazed at each other, Ayeka returned and plopped herself right next to the graduate, continuing the earlier conversation they had.

"Now Lord Tenchi, from what you have told me, going to the university is a big step forward in one's life. Shouldn't you take the responsibility more seriously?" Ayeka asked as she joined the conversation.

"Sure I'm taking it seriously Miss Ayeka, but I also want to take this moment and enjoy it with my family and friends before I start to think about that other stuff." Tenchi replied. He spent a lot of time and energy this past year in order to get to this point and he was going to enjoy every minute of this celebration before he had to worry about Fall classes.

"Ayeka, you sure know how to louse up a good moment do you?" Ryoko sniped at the princess.

Ayeka snapped right back, "And who is asking for your opinion, you ill-mannered troll?" 

"Why you, I oughta…"

"Girls! Can you calm down? This is supposed to be MY day, which means the both of you still have to keep your promise about being civil until the party's over." The young prince reminded both girls.

Ryoko looked at him with pouted lips at first, but changed to a small smile as place her left hand on his knee. "Sorry 'bout that Tenchi, but you have to admit Ayeka and I have been at our best behavior for most of the year now. It's not easy at times you know."

"Ryoko's right. Considering the both of us spent six months together trying to find you and then not seeing as often as we'd liked. I suppose our competitive nature get the best of us sometimes." Added the princess.

"I know that. Which is why I'm so proud of you girls. You let me focused on my studies and it helped a great deal. Plus I know the both you aren't as 'competitive' with each other as you claim to be. I think those six months really allowed you two to understand each other, am I right?"

Ryoko and Ayeka looked at each other. They both realized their time together when Tenchi was with Haruna had bonded them to the extent that they really did like each other. The smiled at one another as they turned their attention back to their love.

"Lord Tenchi, I do believe that Lord Yosho's wisdom is starting to rub off on you." Ayeka declared.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, but I am a college man now." The young Masaki replied with a smug look on his face.

"Yeah, well don't let your head swell too big college boy 'cause some of us still know how to keep you well grounded." Replied the pirate.

"And how do you plan to do that Ryoko?" Tenchi asked as she crept up to his left ear and whispered something. Ayeka couldn't hear it but she knew that it had to be something naughty because Tenchi's face started to turn into multiple shades of red as Ryoko sat back down, laughing hysterically as the graduate grabbed a cup of Sake and guzzled it with one swallow.

"Ryoko, I think my ancestors are rolling in their graves right now with that comment, but I'm glad you're on my side."

"Tenchi…God willing, I'm always going to be by your side, no matter what." the Cyan hair girl softly whispered back to her love.

                                                                        *************************************

Planet Xeria, the scene of what will be an assassination of a Jurai Minister. 

In a old wretched building, a second rate space pirate was completing the final preparations for the fatal trap until a beeping sound comes out of his communication console. He looked at the frequency code and realized it was the boss.

"Yataka report! What's our status?" Barked the mysterious mastermind.

"Everything's in the final stage. We'll be ready to roll in one week." Replied the one eye pirate.

"Good. Any word from our spy on planet Earth?"

"Oto just sent a message thirty minutes ago. Our scapegoat is presently at the Masaki House where it seems that they're having a party of some sort. He's waiting for further instructions…"

"Tell Oto to standby. We may have to coax our patsy to leave planet Earth soon in order for our plan to work. Otherwise, just tell him to maintain surveillance."

"Gotcha Boss. Yataka out."

Somewhere in space, a dark figure burst into an uncontrollable laughter, then stopped to ponder the possibilities that would lie ahead._ Soon...very soon my plan will come into action and all my enemies will soon feel my wrath. How sweet my victory will be! _

End Chapter Two

*What do you think? Will everyone stay happy and merry?

*Will Nobuyuki ever learn not to leave his toys unguarded? 

*And most important, who the hell are Oto  & Yataka working for and

who are they after? Stay tuned.

A/N: Quick notes:

BobR: Your memory's not faulty about Yataka and maybe he is after Ryoko, but the question is: Who's the mastermind? When's the next chapter of 'Conversations II' coming?

Yes, this is more or less a T/R fic, but don't let the first chapters fool you. They will go through some tough times before this is over. 

As always, if there are any questions you would like to ask or clear up, you can e-mail me at a.falc@verizon.net. Anything else you can leave with the reviews.


	4. All Good Things come to and End

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the others were thought of by me. Any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing! ENJOY!!

The Trial: by alighthawk

Chapter Three – "All Good Things Come To An End"

"Ok everybody!! Make way for the cake!!" Yelled out Sasami as she and Nobuyuki walked out with a huge white frosted cake with blue cream trimmings. "Tenchi, would you come here and stand in the middle while we sing a song?"

Tenchi looked at the front of the cake. It had twenty candles placed around the cake with a small figurine of a graduate right in the middle. On the top of the cake were the words inscribed: 'Happy Graduation Day Tenchi! Congratulations!' "Oh you guys! You don't have to sing anything on my part." The young prince said.

"Please Lord Tenchi, it's no trouble at all. I...er, I mean we all wanted to do this for you. This is our way of showing you how much you mean to us." Ayeka beamed.

"Well alright, but try not to sing off key ok?" Tenchi joked as everyone gathered around for a rendition of 'He's a jolly good fellow'. Mihoshi grabbed the microphone and led off, "Ok now; 1…2…and 'For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow…'

After two rounds of bad singing, everyone yelled and clapped a loud ovation to the embarrassed graduate who was now trying to look for a place to hide. This is what happens when you mix sake, karaoke, and a warm day together. Kami, they sounded awful! 

Tenchi said to himself as a pair of soft slender arms came from behind and wrapped themselves around his neck.

"What do you say we open your presents now Tenchi? I'm dying to see what everyone got for you." Ryoko cooed in his ear. Tenchi turned to her and nodded in agreement. "Ok everybody, we'll cut the cake later, but right now it's present time!" She boomed out.

"AAAlright!! Present time, Present time, open the present and see what's inside!" Mihoshi rang out.

"Mihoshi, where did you get that line from?" Asked Kiyone.

"Oh, I was going through some TV channels on Yagami when I saw this show called 'Blue's Clues' and they had an episode where this little doggie cartoon character named Blue is having a birthday party and all her friends sang this tune. Isn't it cute Kiyone?"

"You're a Galaxy Police Officer and you're spending time watching kids shows? Don't you have anything better else to do?" Kiyone griped.

"Well I…er, that is I…well…no."

The teal haired officer just threw her arms up. "You're hopeless Mihoshi, you know that?"

"Sorry Kiyone, I just can't help myself. You know sometimes it's gets kind of boring patrolling the solar system and nobody ever comes by. It's either that or fall asleep."

"NO! Please don't remind me of that. I still can remember those days when we were hiding from the GP fleet and the Juraian Military, I'd find you taking a nap on the bridge when I took over your shift. My God woman, how many hours do you need to sleep?"

The blonde officer simply shrugged her shoulders and replied: "What can I say partner, I always seem to doze off when things are quiet and peaceful. Can we give Tenchi our present now?"

"Good idea. We have to get going soon anyway so go get it Mihoshi" Kiyone replied.

*************************************

As everyone went off to get their gifts, Tenchi sat back at his chair to see what surprises were in store for him. A part of him was excited about what his family and friends had gotten him, but another part had reminded him that some of his friends were space aliens who have the tendency to overdo things and that's the part that was now making him nervous. Ancestors please, the only surprise I want are what's inside the wrapped boxes. I don't need anything out of the ordinary, especially with my schoolmates here. He pleaded in thought, hoping someone would heed him.

First up was Amagasaki and Tetsuo. They both chipped in and got Tenchi a bottle of Stetson cologne and a pair of weekend passes to Tokyo Disneyland. Tetsuo explained that his uncle worked at Disney and managed to get the passes from his boss as a favor. Amagasaki leaned over to Tenchi and whispered in his ear "Now that you got a girlfriend, wouldn't this be a great way to have a big date with her?" Tenchi nodded as Ryoko and Ayeka looked on, wondering what they were saying.

"So Lord Tenchi, do you have any idea on whom you plan on taking to the amusement park?" Ayeka inquired.

"Why are you asking that question princess? It's obvious that Tenchi is going to take me, isn't that right darling?" Ryoko smirked as her fangs started to show.

"Who asked you to butt in you barbarian? I'm asking Lord Tenchi when are we going. If you want to see some pirates, get on Ryo-oki and see some of your comrades in prison!" Ayeka yelled.

"And if you're so intent on seeing a big mouse or a goofy dog, go check yourself out in a mirror Ms. Prissy!" The space pirate snapped back.

"GIRLS PLEASE!! Save your argument for later. When I get the time, I'll let you know on whom I'm taking. Otherwise, can we continue with this?" Pleaded Tenchi who is right now starting to wonder if his ancestors were listening to him.

Amagasaki and Tetsuo just stared at each other, looking rather perplexed. Tetsuo leaned next to his buddy and asked him if there was something they missed. "You're asking me Tetsuo? I was hoping you knew. The Ayeka girl is called a princess and she calls Ryoko a space pirate. The two girls in uniform said they're cops, but I don't know any agency that has outfits like that. Something strange is going on around here Tetsuo and when this party dies down, I got a ton of questions for Tenchi to ask."

The boys kept their thoughts to themselves as Nobuyuki presented Tenchi with an Architect briefcase and a laptop PC for college. "I know you haven't decided what your major was, but I figure I'd nudge you a bit. Whatever you decide son, I'm still proud of you and I'll respect whatever decision you make."

"Thanks Dad, that really means a lot to me." Tenchi replied as he stood up and gave his father a loving hug.

Next up was Yosho. He bowed to his grandson and simply commented on how he had grown to be a fine young man, although his swordplay still needed some work. He then presented Tenchi with a book entitled 'Great Wisdom from Great Minds'. It was a collection of verses, dialogue and advices from all the great philosophers, scientists and leaders from modern history. "You may be surprised of what you'll find in there Tenchi. I highly recommend that you read it from time to time so as you move on in life, lessons may be applied to whatever you choose to do. Like your father, whatever path you decide to take for yourself, I'll be most supportive." And with that, the grandfather bowed to his grandson and stepped back to the crowd around Tenchi.

"We're next!" Yelled Mihoshi, as she nearly trampled over Washu in order to give Tenchi her gift. "Open it up Tenchi, it's from me and Kiyone!"

Tenchi unwrapped the long rectangular box and removed the cover to find a plague. It was a commendation from the Galaxy Police indicating that young prince was an honorary GP officer. "Come on Tenchi, read the inscription out loud." Begged Kiyone.

"Ok, let's see. It reads that 'The Young Juraian Prince, Tenchi Masaki, had acted with bravery beyond the call of duty in the overthrow of the criminal Kagato and thus, shall be given full courtesy and special privileges as an Honorary Member of the Galaxy Police' Signed on this date of the galactic year by Grand Marshall Kuramitsu. Mihoshi, your Grandfather did this?" Tenchi was shocked to say the least.

"Yeah, well HQ was so glad that the Kagato incident uncovered some of the bad apples in the ranks and since this all happened because of you, they asked us if it was ok to present you with the award…oh, look inside the box Tenchi."

Tenchi looked once more inside and to his surprise found a gold plated GP badge with the markings 'Honorary Officer' with the serial number 2000."That was from us Tenchi. It's more for show than anything else, but we figured you would like it." Kiyone said.

"Girls, this was nice of you. Please say thanks to the Marshall when you get the chance." Tenchi said as he got up and gave both girls an affectionate hug. Mihoshi started to cry a little with all the excitement that was happening around here.

"Well it's too bad that badge is not a real one Lord Tenchi, otherwise you could finally have Ryoko arrested for all the crimes she committed." Ayeka chimed in.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?" screamed out Ryoko.

"Well Kiyone and Mihoshi won't arrest you, so maybe Lord Tenchi could have done the galaxy a favor and put you behind bars…"

"WHY YOU LITTLE FU…"

"**GIRLS!** For the last time please! I would like to enjoy this evening without you two fighting like pre-schoolers. Now I want the both of you to stay quiet and not say another word to each other alright?" 

"But Tenchi, Ayeka started all this, why do I…"

"Ryoko, please?"

The cyan haired girl paused for a moment and just turned around and grumbled her way towards the back of the deck before sparks would fly some more. Ayeka couldn't help but chuckled at Ryoko's frustration. Good, I'll be able to give my present to Lord Tenchi before that she-devil does… 

"Ok without any further interruption, I would like to present Lord Tenchi with my gift and latest invention: 'The Washu Galactic TimeKeeper X1'!" Proclaimed the diminutive scientist. As if on cue, both Washubots jumped out and trumpeted their creator's latest idea, "Yeah Washu! You're a genius! The most brilliant mind in the universe, Yeah!" At this point everyone else had sweat beads streaming down from the back of their heads.

Washu pulled a small box and when she opened it, out came a lightweight, stainless steel watch that would pass for a Rolex, but on the face of the watch, it appeared to have a little view screen with options listed in order for the wearer to choose whatever selection he or she would choose. "Uh, so what exactly is a Galactic TimeKeeper X1 little Washu?" Nobuyuki asked nervously.

Washu couldn't contain herself anymore and had such a silly grin when she started to explain how the TimeKeeper worked.

"It's quite simple actually. The TimeKeeper is a specialized watch that also serves as a microcomputer for analytical functions, tell you about the weather in any part of the world, carries a complete database of all known life species in the galaxy and can serve as a linguistic translator for all the known dialects in civilized space. Consider it the galactic version of the Swiss Army Knife. HA-HA, I'm such a genius!" Our egotistical redhead kept repeating.

"Say little Washu, this looks nice and all, but how do you tell the time on this thing? Tenchi asked.

"The time?" Washu asked with a perplexed look on her face. Then it hit her, she was so busy putting all the fancy features into the watch that she had forgotten the most important thing, being able to tell time. "Uh, well anyone can put the time in a watch, but since you mentioned, I, uh, I'll just take this back and have it readjusted. Sorry about that Tenchi." Washu said sheepishly as she grabbed the watch had scurried back to the house.

"Hey Washu, make sure you don't forget to put the batteries in there either, ok? Hahahaha!" Ryoko laughed hysterically.

"Careful Ryoko, I can still remember how to turn you into a water sprite!" Yelled Washu as she entered back into her lab.

Hmph! Little shrimp can't take a joke… Ryoko thought to herself, Well it's down to me and Ayeka so I'll just… but before she could complete her thought, Ryoko saw that Ayeka had ordered the Guardians to bring out her present to Tenchi. Her blood was starting to boil.

Sasami walked over to Tenchi and kneeled beside him. "Tenchi, this is suppose to be a present from Ayeka and me, but I really didn't have anything to do with it. I was too busy preparing the menu for the party. I hope that's alright with you." She whispered as she had a slight frown on her face.

"Sasami, you do most of the hard work around here and the food you prepared today is probably the most delicious since you been here. As far as I'm concern, that's the best present you could've given me today. I thank you little Sasami." The little blue hair girl blushed as Tenchi knelt down and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Ayeka then came over and cleared her throat to get everybody's attention for her presentation of gift to Tenchi.

**************************************

"ATTENTION EVERYONE! I would now like to present Lord Tenchi with a gift that is most befitting for a crowned prince of the Jurai Royal Family."

"Does that mean you're leaving us?" Uttered a certain space pirate.

"RYOKO!!" Yelled Tenchi as he shot a glare back at her. Ryoko caught it and just bit her upper lip as she leaned against the house, deciding not to further annoy him. Ayeka couldn't help but display a wide grin, knowing that her rival was totally frustrated at this moment. She decided that now is the right time to show Tenchi and the others that this will prove once and for all that she belongs with him.

"Thank you Tenchi, now without further interruption, Azaka! Kamedake! Bring the portrait over here please…"

"As you wish your highness!" They replied in unison as they both levitated the covered item across the deck and right in front of Tenchi.

Meanwhile Amagasaki and Tetsuo were trying to contain themselves as they witnessed something that they thought was impossible. "T...T...Tetsuo, please tell me I didn't see that."

"Amagasaki! Let go of my arm! You're cutting off the circulation! Just chill out for now and we'll figure this out later. There has to be an explanation for what we just saw!"

Yosho noticed how the boys were reacting to the Guardians' presence and just shook his head. Ayeka is being careless with her actions. In trying to impress Tenchi and the others, she's completely forgotten about our young guests. He then walked over to Kiyone and whispered to her to get Washu back outside. Whatever adjustments she was making on the watch would have to wait for later. 

Ayeka walked over and removed the white sheet from the portrait. Tenchi couldn't believe his eyes of what he saw. "Wow! Ayeka, uh this is… this is something else."

"Do you like it Lord Tenchi?"

"Yes…yes I do very much. Thank you Princess Ayeka. This is quite a surprise!"

Everyone else moved up and was truly impressed of the portrait of Tenchi. "Gee Tenchi, that picture really looks like you. You look so handsome with that royal outfit." Mihoshi commented.

"I must say son, the artist captured your likeness quite well. You really look like a prince." Gloated Nobuyuki, "We'll put it in the living room later so that way people can see what a fine young man you are."

"Yes, but no need to tell people that the picture was done in another planet nor that Tenchi is a descendent from that same planet." Added Yosho.

Ayeka walked up to Tenchi and held both his hands as she moved her face closer to his. "Tenchi, I just want to say that while I so happy that you like this gift I've presented you, by no means does it represent of how much you mean to me nor the..."

"Uh, Ayeka you're not…" 

"ALL RIGHT!! Enough of this tender moment already!" Ryoko screamed as she phase right behind Ayeka. "Don't think I don't see what you're trying to pull princess!" 

"And what do you think I'm trying to do you rude woman!!"

"Come on Ayeka, calling home to get some professional to paint a portrait of Tenchi and playing it that this will make him choose you over me. It ain't going to work!"

"Why you…what makes think that you have exclusive rights to Tenchi's heart? I don't recall that he's chosen anyone yet."

"Taking credit for someone's talent is cheating in my book, but then again, the only talent you ever displayed with art is drawing sticks. Even Ryo-oki can do better."

"Excuse me? Other than causing mayhem and destruction, what skills do you exactly possess? You're fortunate that the store manager from the department store even consider hiring you in the first place. For all we know, you could of made up that whole job story and stolen Tenchi's present so you won't be empty-handed!"

"THAT CUTS IT!! How dare you accuse me of lying and stealing! All I did this summer was to work my ass off so I can get something special for Tenchi and all I get from you is snobbery and insults. Power up princess 'cause I'm gonna kick your ass right here and now!"

"Ryoko, don't do anything foolish! I mean it!" Tenchi said, but he was falling on deaf ears. Everyone else just decided to move back. They knew that this was a long time coming. "Girls! Please, don't do this! I'm warning you!" Tenchi kept imploring, but neither one of them was listening.

"Fine with me monster woman. I'm more than ready for your bag of tricks. As they on Earth, 'Bring It On!' " Proclaimed Ayeka.

"No tricks, just one blast ought to do the trick. Here! Catch Ayeka!" And with that an orange-reddish energy ball appeared from Ryoko's right hand and in one motion fired it straight at the princess.

"RYOKO NO!!" Cried Tenchi, but it was too late. As the energy ball was about to reach Ayeka, she threw up her force shield to block it. However, her timing was such that instead of blocking its flight, the ball was deflected and headed straight for the table where the cake was laid. All of the sudden 'BOOM', chunks of cake and cream were flying all over the place and no matter where anyone tried to hide, they all got covered with burnt cake.

Washu and Kiyone ran out to see what was the commotion about and as they saw the mess that was strewn all over the deck, both of them sighed. "Those two went at it again." Washu sighed as she shook her head in disappointment. Kiyone just kept her head down, not wanting to look. 

As everyone got up to assess the damage, a small noise was heard at the table. Sasami just stood there, seeing her masterpiece blown to bits by the two combatants. "It's ruined. MY CAKE IS RUINED!" Then she just started to cry uncontrollably. Mihoshi walked over and tried to comfort the little Juraian girl, but all Sasami could do was stare at the table where a minute ago her special meal for Tenchi was there.

Ryoko and Ayeka weren't covered with cake and cream since they both put up their shields, but no shield were going to protect them from the wrath of a certain young man who was now staring at them with a red face and boiling over with anger. Ayeka came over to try to speak to Tenchi, but she could sense that the young prince was ready to explode.

"Lord Tenchi I…I mean we're…"

"What Ayeka? Are you going apologize again? Are you going to say that you're sorry for the what, the billionth time? How are you going to apologize this time?"

Ryoko phased in front Tenchi and tried to reach for his shoulder. Tenchi saw this and turned his back on her. "Tenchi look, I know that me and Ayeka got carried away and it's no excuse for what we did, but…"

"BUT WHAT RYOKO?!? BUT WHAT?!? How could you do this to me? How could you act like an immature child on this day? I was looking forward to this day for weeks and you turned it into a disaster! I prayed to Kami that nothing would happen, but noooo! You and Ayeka had to duke it out again all because you got jealous of her present. Why can't you show some restraint for once?" Tenchi eyes were ready to bulge out as his anger was consuming him.

Ryoko was taken back of what he said. It appeared that while Tenchi was blaming both girls, she was taking the brunt of his rage.

"Tenchi, please I know you're angry, but…"

"Ryoko just shut up! I don't want to hear any more of your excuses. God Ryoko, sometimes I really hate you…"

Hate me? HATE ME?!? Ryoko thoughts echoed when those words penetrated her ears, as well as her heart. Now her anger was surfacing and she wasn't going to take his comments sitting down.

"Fine Tenchi! I screwed up! I lost control of my emotions and I'm sorry, but that doesn't give you the right to berate me in front of everyone! When the two of us started fighting, you hardly scold Ayeka for anything, but I get lectured for both our actions and that's not fair!

"Ryoko listen…"

"NO! You listen Tenchi! I did everything you asked me to do all year and while I know I helped mess up your party, I don't deserve to be treated like an idiot! I expect that from Ayeka, but not from you. You hate me Tenchi? Well, right now the feeling's mutual." And with that the cyan hair girl phased herself from the deck.

"Ryoko wait!! I didn't mean it, I'm just angry that's all. I…aw shit!" Tenchi cursed to himself, realizing what he just told Ryoko. This was to be the day that he was going that tell her that he was in love with her, but instead he told her that he hated her. Good job Masaki! Remember to wash your mouth with soap the next time you say something before you think. 

Ayeka walked over to Tenchi while he was lost in thought. She wanted to make Ryoko jealous, but in no way she wanted to ruin Tenchi's party. Not only that, but in doing so, she made her sister upset over the destruction of her food. She'll make amends with Sasami later, but right now she needed to set things with Tenchi right now.

"Don't worry Lord Tenchi, Ryoko will calm down and come back later. This isn't the first time nor will it be the last."

"But she right Ayeka. I had no right to shout at her like that in front of everyone. She also right in the fact that I always take my anger out of her when you guys go at it. This is really more your fault this time Ayeka, I shouldn't have jumped at Ryoko like that."

"Well, Ryoko is used to such rough language anyway. She also knows that you don't hate her, but I do apologize for my actions though, it was uncalled for."

Tenchi just stared at Ayeka, "You're absolutely right princess and it was uncalled for. I think that I have been more tolerant with you because of your position and that's not fair to Ryoko. You two were getting along all this time. What happened today?"

"I really can't explain it Tenchi, I wanted to give you my gift before Ryoko did. Maybe our competitive nature just overwhelmed us, I can't say for sure, but I never wanted to ruin your party Lord Tenchi you must believe that."

"I do Ayeka, but now things are going to be a little more complicated."

"What do you mean by that Lord Tenchi?"

"Well, it's hard to explain right now, but I need to find Ryoko. After I straightened things out with her, we'll talk later ok?"

"As you wish, until then I might as well help clean up this mess"

Tenchi nodded as he turned way and walked off the deck towards the shrine. "Good idea Ayeka, I'll be right back and by the way, I do love the portrait. Thank you very much."

"You're welcome Lord Tenchi and do hurry back." Said Ayeka as she displayed a smile as she began to clear the table of all the damaged food that was still laid there. _He did loved the picture. Perhaps this is a good omen. I don't know what he has to say to Ryoko, but perhaps later when he returns he'll finally reveal his choice. After Ryoko's boorish behavior today, I wouldn't be surprised that he'll choose me. Then again, it might be wishful thinking on my part. I can never dismiss of what happened during the time when we, I mean Ryoko saved Tenchi from Haruna. We'll just have to wait and see… _

Meanwhile, the two startled schoolmates of Tenchi were in total shock. They couldn't believe of what they saw just witnessed and now they desperately wanted to get out before anything else happened. As they tried to sneak their way through the house and were coning upon the front door, an ancient voice stopped them cold in their tracks.

"Going somewhere boys? You didn't even say goodbye." 

"Oh, Mr. Masaki, we're sorry about that. With all the confusion, we thought that it would be best that we leave." Tetsuo said nervously as Amagasaki nodded rapidly in agreement like an idiot.

"Well don't go empty handed. If you go through that door over by the staircase, the young lady with the red hair will have something waiting for you." Yosho said as he pointed towards the broom closet door. 

"Well sir, we don't want to impose…" Tetsuo kept insisting.

"Nonsense, I will not take no for an answer. Now go ahead and when you're finished, I'll escort you back to the your car." Yosho replied.

Both boys cleared their throats as they headed towards the closet door. As they reached it, Washu popped her head out the door to find the startled boys staring at her. "Oh good, I was expecting you guys. Come on in! I got a nice surprise waiting for you." She then jumped out of the door and shoved both boys into her lab. 

Kiyone came thru the back door when she saw Yosho standing by the entrance. "Did Washu wipe their memories yet?"

"She's starting now. She said it'll take a few minutes and then she'll implant some fake ones. Being normal Earthlings, the lads will assume that they attended a quiet party with no knowledge of the origins of their hosts." Yosho replied, "Pity that we couldn't do the same for Tenchi and Sasami."

"Well, Mihoshi's with Sasami. She says that she'll be ok, but that scene between Tenchi and Ryoko was really intense. You think that they'll be all right?" 

"I believe so, but considering the restraint that Ryoko has been showing these last couple of months and Tenchi rather unusual display of anger, it may take some time for them to smooth things over."

Kiyone had a sullen look on her face. She remembered Ryoko's expression when Tenchi's words stabbed her like a knife. Ryoko looked rather happy until then and so did Tenchi, as if something good was going to happen between them. Then she wondered, _Did Tenchi finally choose and was planning to spring it on Ryoko? _ She decided to forgo the question for another time. "Lord Yosho, is there anything else left to be done? Mihoshi and I have to go on patrol soon."

"No, I think everything's under control now. I'll just wait here until Washu is finished and I'll see to the boys' departure. Ayeka and Nobuyuki are cleaning up so the only problem right now is when Tenchi and Ryoko decide to come home..." 

**************************************

As the moon rose over the darkened hills, a lonely figure sat on one of the branches of Funaho, her mind still reeling from the events that occurred earlier today. Her feelings in turmoil right now, she looked up at the skies, searching for a clue, an answer to why things were happening the way they were. 

Ryoko did everything she was asked to do. She kept her arguments with Ayeka to a minimum. She didn't tried to seduce Tenchi nor distract him from his studies and when she saw that he was down or really tense, she did her best to try and comfort him without coming on like a wild woman. She did all this so she could make herself believe that he may actually see her for what she really is: a caring and passionate woman who was deeply in love with him. Instead, she let her jealousy get the best of her and allowed Ayeka to get under her skin which resulted in Tenchi's party being ruined. On top of that, her fight with the princess destroyed what was probably Sasami's greatest cooking achievement. She couldn't bear thinking about how sad the little Juraian girl must be feeling right now.__

_God, I just don't know what to think right now! I can't take this anymore. This waiting game is driving me crazy and if I'm being a problem to Tenchi then maybe I shouldn't be around here anymore! _The distressed space pirate kept thinking to herself as she began to cry. As tears started to roll down on her cheeks, she pulled out from her side pocket Tenchi's present. As she looked at the small box, she remembered how much joy it brought her, thinking how happy he'd be when he opened it and how hard she worked to get it. Now she felt like a total fool. All that effort and her thanks were to be hated by the one person she loved the most.

As she leaned back against the old tree, her mind wandered back to when all this mess began; the day that Ryoko felt that it would eventually lead to Tenchi opening his heart to her…

(FLASHBACK…January 2000)

When the New Year began, Tenchi asked Ryoko and Ayeka to come to his room so he could talk to them about something important. Her heart jumped with anxiety and anticipation. _Is this it? Is he finally gonna tell us who he's chosen? _ Her mind must have gone through a hundred scenarios of what he might say. One moment she felt so convinced that after what their experience with Haruna that he would pick her over the Jurai princess. The next moment, she saw the two young Juraians heading off into space together happily ever after.

When the girls got to Tenchi's room, they looked at each other with a sense of dread. They always fought tooth and nail with one another to gain his attention and love. Over the course of time, especially those six months they spent together searching for him when he was kidnapped by Haruna, they managed to develop a bond that to the extent that they can honestly admit that they cared for each other, even as sisters. At this point, if Tenchi ever decided between the two, the other may not be so crushed, especially if it meant his happiness. 

"Girls, please come in," Tenchi smiled when he slid open the door and saw them standing outside, "This won't take long."

Ryoko sat at one end of Tenchi's bed while Ayeka sat at the other side. Tenchi started to sit down between them, but decided to stay standing instead.

"As you girls know, I've pretty busy lately in trying to catch up with my studies, but I just spoke with my teachers, and it looks like I'm going to be spending a lot more time in school and possibly summer classes as well so I can graduate in time for college next fall…Ryoko, why are you looking at me that way? " Tenchi asked.

As soon as Ryoko heard the word 'studies' she immediately knew that this conversation was not going to be the one she and Ayeka were waiting to hear for over two years, _I KNEW IT!! _ She yelled in her mind, _I start to overreact about being rejected by Tenchi and here he is discussing his school plans! _

"Oh, i...it's nothing Tenchi dear. I...I was just thinking of something." Ryoko looked towards her left at Ayeka. While the princess didn't say anything, the space pirate could tell that she was thinking of the same lines as she was.

Tenchi just shrugged his head and continued, "Anyway, since I won't be having much free time as I used to having, I figured I would tell you girls because I suspect that the two of you will be fighting over me even more so."

"But Lord Tenchi, why would you think we would go to such lengths to gain your affections?" Ayeka looked with such an innocent look that Ryoko just glared at her with puzzlement. _She really can't help herself can't she? _

Tenchi looked back at the princess and sighed, "Why do I say that? Let's see…maybe because the two of you have cause more damage in Okayama than I care to count?" Both girls couldn't help but put their heads down like two kids being lectured on behaving like adults.

"We're sorry about that Tenchi, but sometimes we can't help ourselves. It's not like we want to." Ryoko looked at him for forgiveness. "To tell you the truth, I think Ayeka and I have been pretty good the last few months, right princess?"

"She's right Lord Tenchi…" Ayeka fired back, "I believe our little 'search and rescue mission' in Tokyo may have helped us understand each other a little better, even though at times I still think Ryoko can be a witch. Heh-heh."

Ryoko glared back at Ayeka, but decided to just smile at her, "Yep, that's right 'Tench'...the little bitch and I have bonded in so many wonderful ways, it's almost sickening just to think about it."

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!?" The princess' face turned red with anger, as smoke appeared to be coming out of her ears.

"You heard me Miss prissy. Want me to spell it out?" Now Ryoko was really getting sarcastic with her remarks as both stood up, ready to duke it out.

"STOP IT BOTH OF YOU!!!" Tenchi yelled as he got in between the two combatants and silenced their bickering. "This is exactly what I was talking about. Yes, I noticed that both of you have gotten along with each other in the last few months, but at a moment notice, you two go at it for any little thing like right now." He stared at them with anger and then turned around towards his desk. Both girls just stood there in silence. "This is why I needed to talk to the both you about." 

He walked back towards the bed and sat down, motioning the girls to sit beside him. He took a deep breath as he looked down at his feet, figuring what to say next. Then his head popped up and with a firm grip, took the hands of both girls and smiled.

"Listen girls, I really need to concentrate on my studies from now on. If you guys can control yourselves in not wrecking everything in sight and get along, I can relax and not be distracted on what happens around here. I want you girls to promise me that I can rely on the both of you to behave yourselves so I can finish high school. Can you at least promise to try?"

Ryoko and Ayeka weren't really paying attention to Tenchi's request. All they were thinking about was the firm, but gentle way he was holding their hands. When he looked up at their faces, he couldn't help himself but wondered which face was redder from blushing. "Girls, are you listening to a word I'm saying?"

Ryoko snapped out of her trance first. "Um, yeah Tenchi. I think you're absolutely right. We should be more considerate to your needs, especially now. Right Ayeka?"

"Oh yes, of course. Please forgive us Lord Tenchi. It's just sometimes we do get carried away at times. But Ryoko and I will pledge ourselves to be at our best behavior and to assist you in any way possible." The princess cranked her head up to scan Tenchi's desk and noticed some of the textbooks he had laid there. "Perhaps now is a good time to start and leave you to your studies. Come Ryoko, let's go see what Sasami is making for dinner."

"Sounds good to me. I'm starving! Catch you later Tenchi." Ryoko gave a wink as she steps out with Ayeka and started proceeded to the kitchen.

"Uh Ryoko, one more thing before you go downstairs?" Tenchi motioned the cyan beauty to come back for something else.

"Oh? Ok, I'll be right down Ayeka. Don't hog all the food will ya?" The princess just looked at Ryoko with contempt and headed downstairs, satisfied that everyone involved would conduct themselves accordingly for Tenchi's sake.

Ryoko stepped back into Tenchi's room wondering what was on his mind. She rather not speculate on what it was since she had been wrong on every guess. Tenchi pulled out his chair and waited until Ryoko sat down on the bed again. 

"What's the matter Tenchi? Is there something else you want me to promise not to do to distract you?" She then lied down on the bed on her stomach. She lifted her feet up and crossed them together as the bottom of her skirt fell back to her knees, partially showing her perfectly shaped legs. She lifted her head up and placed her hands under her chin and gave Tenchi that seductive look. The look that always had him leery of what she would do next. 

"Hey now, cut that out! This is serious Ryoko!" When she saw that serious look on Tenchi's face, Ryoko decided to stop playing with his mind for the moment.

"Ok, what is it that you need to tell me my Tenchi?" She asked.

"Uh well, I know that I just told the both of you that I may not have much free time pretty soon, but I just wanted to tell you that if you need to talk to me about anything…anything at all. Don't hesitate to ask."

Ryoko just looked at him with some confusion showing on her face. "What are you really trying to tell me my dearest Tenchi?"

Tenchi looked into those golden eyes of Ryoko, sensing she wasn't quite sure of what he was trying to get at. He tried again.

"What I'm really trying to get at Ryoko is that there are going to be days that things will get hectic for me and I'm going to need someone to lean on from time to time. I said to you once that you're the only person that really understands me and ever since you rescued me from Haruna's world, I realized that I could depend on you no matter what happens."

"Oh Tenchi, are you trying to say…" Ryoko's face started to brighten up, but Tenchi cut her off.

"I haven't made THAT decision yet Ryoko and I can't say when will I be able to. I just wanted to tell you that I consider you my best friend and I can't imagine what I would do without you."

The cyan haired beauty just stood there in silence. She wasn't sure how to take it. He didn't love her, at least not in love with her, but he wasn't rejecting her either. Confusion once again occupied her face. 

Sensing that Ryoko wasn't thrill with this, the young prince felt a sweat dropped behind his head, and realized _This isn't_ _working out like I hoped it would_ He tried a different approach.

"Ryoko, I know you and Ayeka have been waiting for me to make a decision on the both of you, but I think you wouldn't respect me if I weren't completely honest with you. I care for both of you deeply, but right now I have so many things on my mind that choosing to pick the woman of my dreams is not at the top of my agenda. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear and I'll understand if you decide not to wait, but I feel that it wouldn't be fair to you if I keep you guessing. Are you alright with this Ryoko?"

Ryoko paused for a moment, taking in what Tenchi had said. _Well, at least he didn't choose the chipmunk. _

"Tenchi, I not going to stand here and say I'm happy about it, but I also know you wouldn't hurt any of us intentionally. I know this school thing is important to you so I promise to try and not to distract you." Ryoko looked at him with a straight face with no hint of emotion.

"Are you OK with this Ryoko?" Tenchi asked again.

The space pirate walked over to her love and suddenly gave him a bone-crushing hug. "AARGH!! RYOKO, I can't breathe!"

She flashed a grin on her face and coos next to his ear, "So I'm really your best friend hmmm? I can think a few things 'friends' like us can do for fun." Tenchi started to blush, not to mention feeling something waking up that he doesn't want Ryoko to notice.

"Hey now, I thought we were clear on this!" Tenchi pried himself from Ryoko before the oxygen was completely cut off.

Ryoko floated up in the air and settled by the door entrance. "We are my Tenchi, we are. I just love to get a rise out of you." She started to giggle as she looked down towards Tenchi's pants, "Tenchi, you're so easy to fluster."

As Tenchi sat down on the bed in embarrassment, Ryoko stopped giggling long enough to reinsure her heart's desire. "Tenchi, as a pirate, I'm not used to waiting for anything, and God only knows how many times I just wanted to steal you away to some faraway planet so we can be together, but I also know that there are some treasures out there worth waiting for. As long as I know where we stand, I'm content to wait for now. Besides, I don't think anybody ever consider me their best friend before. Hell, I didn't have that many friends before I came to Earth."

"I'm glad to hear that Ryoko. Maybe when I decide what I'm going to do with my life, I might be able finally answer your question…"

Tenchi gave a sigh of relief and noticed a smirk on cyan beauty's face as she was stepping out of the doorway.

"Well, lover boy, don't take too long. I love you to death, but love can only hold a person for so long." The pirate playfully warned him as she teleported her way out of Tenchi's room and to the kitchen to join Ayeka for dinner.

During the weeks and months that follow, Ryoko kept her part of the bargain, much to her surprise. She and Ayeka kept their feuding to a minimum, particularly when Tenchi came home exhausted from school. At times, when dinner was finished and everyone did their own thing, Ryoko would see her love busy concentrating on school assignments or pre-selecting a major for college. She saw the tension and stress on his face so much that she could tell the pressure to succeed was getting to him. 

_I'm not exactly sure what's the big deal about all this 'college' stuff, but this constant studying can't be this good. _ Ryoko pondered. Then she remembered that Tenchi asked her about being able to lean on her from time to time_. I guess this is what he meant. Poor boy's so worked up over this that he's probably forgotten about it. _

She floated from the rafter, checking out whose around the house, and onto the stairway. It was late so she figured since everyone were in their rooms, either asleep or soon to be. She made her way up the stairs and silently floated over to Tenchi's room. She tapped the door slightly to see if he was awake. "Tenchi? Tenchi, are you still up?" She wanted to phase through the door, but thought the better of it.

"Yes Ryoko, what's up?" Tenchi answered, sounding as if he was thinking elsewhere. "You need something?"

"I don't need anything, but maybe you do. Can I come in?" Ryoko started to slide open the door just he was about to say 'Come in'.

Tenchi looked up from his chair with a curious look, "What's up? You said I needed something?"

Ryoko walked past him and sat at the end of the bed, with a concerned look in her eyes, "Yeah, uh…I know it's kinda late, but I see that you look sort of worn down and I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk or something? I figure the fresh air might do you some good." 

Tenchi was quiet for a moment, thinking she was up to something, but the way she looked at him. It had a look of concern and maybe a little sympathy, "Tenchi, remember you asked me to check on you when things got 'hectic'? I'm just trying to see if I can help."

Finally it dawned on him and a small grin flashed across his face, "I'm sorry Ryoko. You're right. I been so focused that I forgotten our conversation. Give me a couple a minutes and I'll join you downstairs."

Her golden eyes beamed with satisfaction. It's not something she accustomed to doing, helping people with their problems, but for Tenchi she would do anything to make him feel better. _I guess this is what best friends do for each other. _ She reasoned. It's still not what she really wanted, but it's a start.

Later on, they would take in what would be many strolls up to the shrine and ending up at the tree Funaho. Nothing romantic would happen, but they would sit for hours by the old tree, looking down at the pond that surrounded it and talked about things that popped up in their heads. Their talks would be from anything trivial, to the weather, to the members of the household or mostly Tenchi's day at school or sword training with Yosho. Never once did Ryoko brought up the subject of 'them', figuring that conversation might kill their time together, but she did noticed that he was getting more comfortable around her each time they hung out and not just by Funaho either. Whether it be by the table to eat, lounging by the living room, or when the family went on an outing, Tenchi didn't mind having Ryoko next to him (except for those crushing neck hugs though) and even smiled happily when she would phased right by him. 

_He looks really happy to see me. Maybe that old Earth phrase has some truth to it. What was it again? 'The best way for someone to love somebody is to be friends with them first? _Ryoko wasn't sure if that was the correct phrase, but it was close enough…

*************************************

_How stupid can I be? Two years we've been here living together and every time I think he's ready to choose, something else comes up. I…I just can't do this anymore! _ Ryoko said to herself in frustration as she covered her face, trying to control herself from crying. As she sat there, lost in thought, a young man approached the tree to see if she was there.

Tenchi carefully stepped over each stone as he made his way to Funaho and as he walked around the large tree, he heard the sounds of crying. "R...Ryoko? Ryoko, is that you?" he asked nervously.

"Go away Tenchi, I don't want talk to you right now!"

"Please Ryoko, let me explain. I know I flew off the handle awhile ago, but I didn't mean to take it out on you." Tenchi kept talking, but as he looked up to the branches, she was gone.

"RYOKO! Please don't run away from me!"

"Why shouldn't I Tenchi?" Ryoko angrily said as she phased behind the startled Juraian. "Why should I even bother talking with you? 

"Ryoko I…"

"No Tenchi! You're done talking for now. Right now you're going to listen what I have to say and so help me I'll break your jaw if you say one more word, got it?" 

Tenchi wanted so badly to tell Ryoko how sorry he was and to say that he loved her, as he looked into those golden feline eyes, all he could see was a great fire stoked within that needed to be put out by themselves. Hopefully he thought she'd get whatever she had to say off her chest and be calm enough for him to say his peace.

Ryoko looked at Tenchi with such anger. She never thought in her life that she would feel like this towards him, but those words he spoken to her had burned into her soul with such pain. 'I hate you, I HATE YOU!' was all she could hear.

"Tenchi, I been living with you and your family for over two years and in case you haven't noticed, I have completely fallen in love with you. Now I tried to abide by your wishes when you made it clear to Ayeka and me that you needed to concentrate on your schoolwork and I accepted that. I also accepted your explanation at the time that maybe you might come to a decision about us at the right time. I did everything you asked to do and what do I get? A verbal dress down in front of everybody! You didn't raise your voice to Ayeka for cryin' out loud and the sad part about is that I expected it since you too damn scared to say anything to Ms. Prissy ever since we been living here."

"Uh Ryoko..."

"TENCHI, SHUT UP! I'm still talking here!" Ryoko started to break down, but cleared her throat and wiped her tears as she collected herself and began to speak again, "Tenchi, despite all the wonderful things you have done for me and the girls, you're still a coward when it comes to choosing me or Ayeka. Hell, if you did pick the chipmunk I'd be pissed, but at least you would've shown some backbone for once, but you can't even do that."

Tenchi was dismayed. He didn't like some of Ryoko's comments, but the truth was that she was right. If he knew for the longest that he had chosen Ryoko, he could've spared everyone the pain of waiting and this incident would never of happened. Now he had to deal with those consequences, but right now the one important thing in his life was furious with him. He decided to put his head down and let Ryoko finish her verbal barrage before he said anything.

Ryoko suddenly just stopped. As she saw the way Tenchi just stood there, she thought that he was tuning her out. "Aww, shit! Why do I even bother?" And with that, she turned around and started to walk back to the shrine.

"Ryoko, where're you going?" Tenchi screamed.

"I'm leaving! I can't bear to be here right now! I just need to get away!" As she kept walking, she telepathically called Ryo-oki, "Get over here cabbit, we're leaving!"

"Ryoko wait up! We can work this out, please!"

Ryoko turned around and snapped back, "Tenchi don't you understand? You hurt me! You hurt me real bad and right now I can't stand the sight of you. I need to get away from you now and as far away as I can."

"But where would you go?"

"Who knows and who cares, as long as you ain't there." As she moved her left hand by her left thigh, she felt the small box in her pocket and took it out. "Here, congratulations you bastard! Hope you choke on it!" With one swift move, she threw it directly at Tenchi's head and before he could react, the box struck him on the forehead. The box was small and light, but Ryoko threw it with such force, the impact momentarily knocked Tenchi off balanced and knocked him to the ground.

At that moment, Ryo-oki hopped over to her mistress. She mentally asked her what's wrong, but Ryoko just grabbed her and tossed her into the night sky where she morphed into her spaceship form. The furious pirate then teleported into the ship and sat at her command chair.

"Let's go Ryo-oki. I don't care where to, as long as we're away from here!"

"Miya, Miya?" The cabbit/ship kept repeating to her master as if to say does if she knows what she was doing.

"I don't know Ryo-oki, I'm just frustrated right now. Just let me cool off and I'll decide what to do later ok?"

"Miya?" (What about Tenchi?)

"Let him stew in his own misery for awhile alright? I just want to him see what its like being an emotional puppet. I know deep down he wouldn't hurt me intentionally, but he needs to understand that even though I love him to death, I can't keep waiting. It's not fair to me or even Ayeka, although I should've hit her over the head with that portrait, heh-heh" Ryoko managed to laugh a little for once.

"Don't worry Ryo-oki. Let's just cruise around for a few days and then we'll come back ok?"

"Meow, Me-ow" (I could live with that, where to?)

"Hmmm, let's go into deep space. We'll go to one of my old haunts near the Jurai sector and who knows, it might be fun y'know?" Ryo-oki then set the coordinates and within a second, she sped off into hyperspace.

Back on Earth, Tenchi managed to finally sit up even though he was still feeling woozy from getting smacked by the box. He looked up at the sky, hoping that Ryoko might still be hovering around, but to no avail. He then looked down and saw the small blue box right next to him. He picked it up he saw the inscription on the wrapping 'To my dearest Tenchi' written. He then unwrapped the box and opened it to see what's inside and what he saw made his heart skipped a few beats. 

Ryoko had him given a heavy gold chain bracelet. Just by looking at it and feeling it, Tenchi knew that this was an expensive gift. Now he understood why she was so sensitive to Ayeka's remarks. Ryoko really worked hard to get this present and now it must've felt worthless to her since all he did was to push her away again like he had always done.

As he examined it, he noticed small flat plating; for adjustment he guessed. Underneath the plating it said 'Tenchi, with love, Ryoko'. He tried on his left wrist and it was a perfect fit. Under better circumstances, he would have been so happy to receive such a fine gift. He knew deep down he would loved this gift more than the others because of the effort Ryoko went through to earn it. He could had thank her by telling her he had chosen her and wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. Instead, he just stared at the bracelet and wondered where she could have gone to or worse, when is she coming back, if ever. 

As he took the box off the ground, a note fell out. It was folded very neatly and had Tenchi's name written on it. He unfolded the note and started to read its contents. What he read started to make him more miserable than he was feeling now. The note read:

'Dearest Tenchi, as you take the next important step in your life, I just wanted to give you this gift for all the hard work you put in this past year. I also wanted this gift to symbolize the deep love I have for you. You made such a big change in my life in ways that I may never be able to repay you. I could only hope that one day you'll feel for me that same way I feel about you, but if you don't, I will always love you no matter what.' {Love you, Ryoko} 

After reading the note and with so many questions and emotions going through his head right now, Tenchi just wrapped his arms around his knees and put his face forward. The forest was quiet now except for the sobbing of a lonely young man who just lost his love.

************************************

On the other side of the lake, Oto had witnessed today's events and when Ryo-oki took off, he immediately contacted the planet Xeria. Yataka was ready to hit the bar when the transmission came in.

"What is it now Oto?" Yataka asked as if he night was ruined.

"Ryoko just took off a minute ago and from the looks of things, she may not be coming back for awhile."

"What happened over there, she got into another battle with that spoiled Juraian princess?"

"That and a big squabble with the Masaki kid. I think she's more pissed with him than anything else. You want me to follow her?"

"No stay put. The others may leave also. Are the space cops still there?"

"Negative, they left about an hour earlier for their scheduled patrol…"

"Good, just keep watching the house if case Ryoko comes back. I'll have Osaka tail Ryo-oki once she leaves the solar system." 

"Are you going to tell the boss?"

"OOOOOOHH YES! Ryoko just did us a favor by leaving Earth. Now we can begin the setup and get rid of that Juraian Lord once and for all. I'll contact you later, Yataka out."

As the tall space pirate readjusted his console to contact his other lackeys, he couldn't help but smile, as his boss' master plan was about to take effect. "I don't know about the boss Ryoko, but I for one look forward to seeing you again, ha-ha-ha-ha…"

****************************************

End Chapter Three

*What do you think? Will Ryoko ever come back?

*Will the girls have to return their gifts? 

*And most important, who the hell is Oto working for and

what do they want with Ryoko? Stay tuned.

A/N: Sorry that this took awhile to come out, but I was concentrating on my other fic "Second Chance", which by the way will be out at the end of the week. My job has also kept me busy from writing anything else.

If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net 

Later, alighthawk


	5. Captured

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

** Before I start, I want to clarify one important item. For those of you who haven't noticed, I changed the name of the title from the 'Trail' to the 'Trial', which is what it supposed to be. I didn't pick up my mistake until the last chapter. So, I apologize to anyone who might have been misled to thinking it might be one type of story while in fact it's probably another. If you weren't misled, then don't worry about it.

TO RECAP: Two weeks ago, at the Masaki residence, Tenchi and the gang were reveling in the celebration of the young Masaki's graduation from high school. However, as typical as the cherry blossoms falling from the trees, Ryoko and Ayeka had one of their free for alls and essentially wrecked the party. Tenchi, in a rare fit of rage, took his frustration out on Ryoko, who in turn decided to tell the kid to take a hike and took off with Ryo-oki into deep space. While all of this was taking place, someone was keeping an eye on the Masaki clan. One week later, a mysterious assassin murdered a corrupt Juraian Lord and his escort on a remote planet near the Juraian border and looks to set up somebody. 

So there you have it in a nutshell and if you're still wondering what's going on; then click the arrow back to the prologue and read from the beginning. Otherwise, you're gonna be clueless of goes on next…

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Four – "Captured"

Two Weeks Later, (After Ryoko's disappearance)…

In the darkest regions of space, a squadron of battle cruisers from the planet Jurai had been traveling for some days now. Their destination: To the third planet of the solar system called Earth. Their mission: To apprehend the murderer of Lord Braga and his escort. Recent information and eyewitnesses had verified who the assassin was and the first place of the search was to be the planet that the killer was living most the time. The fleet also had orders to retrieve and protect the members of the Jurai Royal Family, which consisted of the princesses' Ayeka and Sasami, prince Yosho and his descendent Tenchi Masaki.

Aboard the fleet's flagship, _the Saibankan,_ the first Juraian knight of the royal court stood by the ship's observation deck, staring out into space. As he gazed out towards the stars, Azaka was still trying to fathom the insanity that had occurred in the past week. He still couldn't believe that _she _would commit such a heinous crime. There was no reason for her to be near the planet Xeria unless…unless something had happened between her and the royal family on Earth? He knew that she had feelings for Lord Tenchi and because of the prince, she bravely forced her way through Jurai's automated defenses to reach the royal palace in order to help Tenchi battle the evil Kagato and save the princess Ayeka. She did all of this despite the grave injury she suffered while battling the false emperor.

_NO!! I refuse to believe that she would commit such an act! There has to be an explanation for all this! _Azaka kept torturing himself in thought as the fleet was preparing to disengage from hyperspace. From the far end of the deck, the ship's captain approached him to deliver some news.

"Azaka, we are at the fringes of the solar system. Our sensors have picked up Ryo-oki and she is making her way to Earth. Shall we pursue her before she lands?"

"No. Have the fleet stay in position until she enters the Earth's atmosphere. We don't want to alert Ryo-oki of our presence and have her fight her way out. That ship is very capable of destroying us easily and efficiently. I also don't want to alert the Princess Ayeka and her family until we can sort this out."

The captain looked the knight with a look of contempt. He couldn't fathom why a legendary warrior of his status and skill would be so hesitant to face such a lowly individual as the one they're pursuing. As far as the captain was concerned, the murderer should be hunted down and captured for committing serious atrocities against the Juraian people. In his mind, the murder of Lord Braga must be avenged at all cost; Jurai's honor was at stake.

"Azaka, I really don't understand this delay. We know that murderous space pirate has touchdown on Earth and is probably plotting something terrible against the Royal Family; we must not stay here idle and let her get away." The captain protested.

"Captain, despite your reservations, I have fought side by side with this woman when the empire was at its darkest hour. Without her help, Kagato would be plunging Jurai into the abyss right about now. I have witnessed her courage and unmatched skills as a warrior and until we reach the Earth and confront Ryoko herself I will still give her the benefit of the doubt." Azaka answered.

"Very well Azaka. We'll play it your way, but remember this, I have my orders and those orders are to take down the space pirate Ryoko and to confiscate her ship Ryo-oki. You are the highest authority here, but should you impede this capture in any way, the council orders will overrule yours and I will take the necessary steps to ensue that Ryoko will be arrested and if need be, executed. Are we clear on this?"

"Absolutely, but be warned captain. Overstep your authority and you will have me to deal with and believe me, I can just as lethal as Ryoko. Is that understood?"  

"Understood _sir._" The captain grudgingly replied as he turned around to return to his post on the bridge, leaving Azaka with very conflicting thoughts and emotions.

"May Tsunami forgive me for what I'm about to do. I pray that Lord Tenchi and the others are safe and that this is just a big misunderstanding. If not, I fear that no one will be able to save you Ryoko…"

                                                                        ************************************

As the day drifted slowly into the late afternoon, Princess Sasami was finishing up cleaning the kitchen and preparing to get dinner started when her sister Ayeka walked through the door. She just finished watching a six-hour marathon of her favorite soaps and was quite thirsty from all that crying she did as she allowed herself to get into the lame characterization the shows represented. "Sasami, is there any tea left? Watching 'From here to Andromeda' can be so exhausting."

Little Sasami just stood there and sighed, "Really Ayeka, with all that is happening around here, how can you just sit there on the sofa and just watch TV all day?" 

"Why whatever do you mean by that Sasami?"

"Ayeka, it's been two weeks since Ryoko took off with Ryo-oki and no one has heard a word from her. Tenchi's been totally depressed and Kiyone just heard that one of the ministers from Jurai was murdered. Doesn't that concern you at all?"

"Well Sasami, no one from Jurai has contacted us yet regarding the murder so I will assume that the council will deal with it. If it requires my attention, I'm sure that they will notify me if needed and you know how Ryoko is. When she decides to stop being so childish, she'll come home and Lord Tenchi will stop feeling guilty for scolding her which I still say she deserved for trying to attack me…"

"But Ayeka, you started taunting Ryoko at the party, knowing full well she'd act crazy. I swear, sometimes I wonder who's supposed to be the older sister…"

The princess was taken back by her sibling's remark. True, Ryoko wouldn't fly off the handle like that if she didn't try goad her, but until Tenchi decided on who he wanted to be with, she would not give the space pirate any advantage whatsoever. She was however, starting to worry that if Ryoko didn't come back soon, Tenchi may never snap out of his funk. Despite their rivalry, she would hate to see anything bad happen to the cyan haired girl and deep down, Ryoko had been more than a friend to her. In the two plus years they had been living here with Tenchi, Ryoko had always treated Ayeka as a person rather than royalty. While it took some getting used to, the princess always had wanted to thank the pirate for her directness. _Ryoko you savage, get back soon, you hear me? _

_                                                                        *************************************_

Out in the fields, a poignant young man was tending to his carrots and other vegetables. The chores were simple enough, but for the last couple of weeks, his mind kept drifting elsewhere. His sad thoughts could only think of one thing: the girl with the beautiful golden eyes who finally captured his heart was missing. In what it had to be their worst fight yet, Ryoko told Tenchi that she couldn't stand the sight of him and had to leave. He prayed that she would calm down and return to him, but it had been two torturous weeks and no word from her. Kiyone had been listening on the GP interstellar network for any possible sightings of Ryo-oki, but hadn't heard anything except about the death of the Juraian Lord Braga. That particular news was getting a lot of airtime since nobody from the Juraian government nor the Galaxy Police would confirm on whom the killer was.

Tenchi thought a crime that serious would mean that Ayeka may have to return to Jurai, but as of yet no one from the council had summoned her yet. _Maybe the Jurai officials don't want to disturb her and figure they probably want to get their facts straight before they decide to contact her. The last time they came here, they accuse her of treason and **look how that turned out! **_

****

Despite the problem that was happening on his grandfather's home world, Tenchi's main concern was Ryoko. All he cared about was that she'd come home and to give him the chance to make things right. In the back pocket of his black khakis, he was carrying the gold chain she gave him for his graduation present. He told himself that he would not put it on until she comes back and personally place the chain on his wrist. All he wanted right now was to see her once more, hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her. _Please Ryoko! Come back to me! I just want to make everything right between us! _Tenchi pleaded in his thoughts as he tried to force himself to tending the fields… 

                                                                        ************************************

"Washu!! Washu!! Are you in here?" Yelled out Detective Kiyone as she ventured into the little scientist's lab. The teal haired GP officer was usually a calm, fearless person, but going into Washu's lab would for some reason get her all jittery. Then again, everyone in the house felt the same way with the exception of her bubblehead partner Mihoshi, who was right behind her. "Kiyone, you sure that Washu is here?" The blonde bombshell asked.

"I haven't seen her around the house all day and Sasami swore that she saw her last going into the lab after breakfast. She gotta be around here somewhere." Kiyone answered.

As the two girls made their way around the immense laboratory, Kiyone was still astonished that little Washu could create such a structure through her pocket dimension. Washu could be strange at times, but she certainly did lived up to her reputation as 'the greatest genius in the universe'. "Come on Mihoshi, let's look over here." Kiyone said as she waved to her partner. They walked about twenty meters more before they heard the humming sound of a large machine.  As they turned the corner, they came across the diminutive genius who appeared to be working on her latest device.

"Oh girls! You're just in time to see my latest invention!" Proclaimed little Washu as her robotic sidekicks popped up and got into their usual proclamation of their master's genius. "Yeah Washu! The greatest scientific genius in the whole universe!" They rang out in unison as both GP officers felt sweat coming from the back of their heads.

"Yeah, well that's looks amazing, but we're here to ask you if you had heard anything from Ryoko?" Kiyone asked.

"Nope, nada! I've been leaving my universal comlink open, but she hasn't contacted me yet. I take it that you haven't heard anything either?"

"Not really. All the talk right now is the murder of the Juraian minister, Lord Braga. Headquarters is having kittens over this since the planet Xeria is under GP surveillance and no one can explain on how or why he was there. Personally, I think there's more than meets the eye."

Washu nodded in agreement. "Definitely. If you ask me, a Juraian official being found dead on a planet that's a haven for criminals sounds a little fishy to me. Anyway, is that why did you come here looking for me?"

"Well, that and the fact that we just got orders to report to GP headquarters as soon as possible. This murder investigation is causing quite a stir and our station chief is calling all available officers for possible assignment to the case. I was hoping that Ryoko would have called before we left, but I guess we'll have to go without knowing. Washu, if you hear anything, contact us ok?"

"Sure Kiyone. I'll give you a holler when she decides to show up..."

"Uh, say Washu? What's that you're working on?" The ditzy Mihoshi asked as she walked over to the new invention of Washu and started to touch some of the lighted panels.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT CRAZY GIRL!! That's my intergalactic trans-portal! I haven't tested it yet!" Yelled the red headed woman, but it was too late. Mihoshi pressed one too many buttons and suddenly an electrical surge started to form around the device.

"AARRGHH!! Mihoshi, can't you ever learn to keep your hands to yourself?" Kiyone screamed at her partner as they began to run for their lives. As they raced towards the door, Washu quickly opened up a small panel beneath the machine and pushed down the lever that read 'power relay closed'. Suddenly, the huge machine powered down. Washu gave sigh of relief and then began to curse Mihoshi's name as the whole lab was suddenly filled with obscenities that were rather unpronounceable. 

                                                                        ***************************************

It was almost four o'clock when Tenchi decided that he had enough gardening for today. His heart wasn't into it and knew that soon his grandfather would be expecting him for sword training. While he may be able to slack off on the fields, Yosho would not be as considerate. Therefore, it was best that he should prepare himself even though his thoughts were on someone else.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept over the fields as if a typhoon was approaching. As Tenchi looked up to the sky, he saw that it was Ryo-oki. _RYOKO! _His mind screamed as he dropped everything and headed towards the house. Ryo-oki hovered just above the lake as all the girls, with the exception of Washu, got out of house to see the familiar black and red spaceship. A yellow beam shot out from Ryo-oki and a familiar cyan haired woman materialized just in front of the lake. Soon, Ryo-oki transformed herself back into a cabbit and sat beside her mistress.

"Ryoko!! Ryo-oki!! You're back!!" Yelled Princess Sasami as she ran towards the pair of space wanderers. It was obvious that at least one person missed them.

"Miya-Miya?" (Is it okay?) Asked Ryo-oki.

Ryoko nodded. "Go ahead, I know you missed her and by the way, thanks for being there for me…" 

"My-eow!" (You're welcome!) Replied the little cabbit as she met Sasami half way and leaped into her arms for a loving embrace.

Ryoko stood her ground as the rest of the Masaki girls approached her. She wasn't sure of how she was going to explain her disappearance to them nor did she care to. She then noticed that neither Tenchi nor Washu were here. She wasn't ready to face him yet, but she definitely needed to talk to the little mad scientist as soon as possible.

"RYOKO! How dare you leave us in such an abrupt manner and without the courtesy of telling us where you were!" Barked princess Ayeka.

"Nice to see you too Ayeka. I see that you got a few wrinkles since I left." Ryoko sarcastically answered.

"What? How dare you…"

"Look princess, I would love to continue our fight from last time, but I need to see Washu. Is she around?"

"She's in her lab Ryoko. We just left from there. Is there something wrong?" Asked Kiyone.

"To be honest Kiyone, I'm not sure. Something happened to us up there and I need Washu to help me find some answers."

The girls gave Ryoko a perplexed look. "What do mean you're not sure what happened to you? Did you get into one of your finer predicaments?" Ayeka chimed in.

"Like I said chipmunk, I DON'T KNOW! Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to see Washu. Maybe later I'll explain everything ok?"

"Well, we'd love to hear it Ryoko, but Mihoshi and I have received orders to report to Galaxy Police Headquarters to help investigate a murder case." Stated Kiyone.

"Oh yeah, the Juraian Lord. I heard he got totally incinerated. Well, good luck with that you guys. We'll trade stories when you get back…" 

"That sounds good. Oh, Sasami? Don't forget to tape the next few episodes of 'Space Police Policeman' for me will you?" Mihoshi reminded the little princess.

"No problem. I got the VCR programmed already. Come back soon guys!"

"You got it. Ok Mihoshi, let's get Yagami out of subspace and get to HQ."

"You got it partner!" The blonde officer replied as she tapped into her GP police watch and after pressing a sequence of buttons, the opening subspace appeared out of thin air and slowly the red GP cruiser Yagami pulled itself out. Within seconds, the two detectives were covered in a blue transport beam and dematerialized out of sight and into the ship's bridge.

Kiyone eased her way into the pilot's chair and initiated the command sequence to leave Earth's orbit while Mihoshi stumbled her way into her chair. As she tried to straighten herself out, she punched in the coordinates for the trip to HQ. A few seconds later, Yagami flew up into the atmosphere until it was just a red dot in the sky.

                                                                        **************************************

Tenchi ran as fast as he could as he raced around the lake and headed straight towards the house. As he got closer, he saw Ryoko, Ayeka and Sasami walking back to the house with Ryo-oki hopping behind them.  He could overhear the pirate and the princess trading their usual pleasantries as Sasami just shook her head and stopped for a second to have Ryo-oki jumped on top of her shoulder. He was nearly out of breath, but Tenchi had to see Ryoko in hopes that she'd finally let him explain his boorish behavior at the party.

"RYOKO!! Ryoko wait up!" Yelled the young prince as he started to stumble and almost lost his footing. He was nearly out of breath when he finally caught up with them.

Ryoko's body stiffened as she turned around to face her love. It's been two weeks, but she still can't put that night out of her mind. As Tenchi stopped and hunched over to catch his breath, she simply just stood there, waiting for him to say something. Part of her yearned to wrap her arms around Tenchi and tell him how much she missed him, but the other part was still incensed with him.

"Ryoko, I'm so glad you came back! You don't how much I…"

"Stop it right there, Tenchi. I don't have time for you right now." Ryoko said without a hint of emotion. "Something's come up and I have to talk to Washu. Maybe later I'll talk to you, but right now its best that you stay away from me."

"Ryoko please, if you're still angry over what happened, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for all that to come out, I just wanted to…"

"Tenchi! Not now! I'm tired and sort of confused over what happened to me in space. Please, when I'm finished with Washu and maybe a little more calmer, I'll try to listen to what you have to say, but now isn't the right time."

Ayeka and Sasami had been quiet during the whole time, but the older princess didn't like how this conversation was going and decided to butt in. "Miss Ryoko! How dare you tell Lord Tenchi to wait until you were finished with Washu! If I were him I wouldn't of given you a second thought. You should be grateful that he would even let you come back after your inexcusable behavior at the party. Why I would of…"

"Ayeka please? Ryoko has every right to be here and I don't blame her for still being angry with me. If anyone has to apologize for their behavior, it's me." Tenchi put his head down as he turned his attention back to the cyan haired woman, "Ok Ryoko, I guess I can wait until you're done. I hope it's nothing too serious, but when you're ready I'll be at the shrine training with grandpa."

Ryoko stood there as Tenchi turned around and started to head for the temple. While she was still mad at him, she couldn't help but noticed how dejected he really looked. While she's satisfied that Tenchi got the message, he was still be boy that made her heart skip a beat when she was around him and seeing him like this was starting to make her depressed as well.

"Tenchi?" Ryoko called out to him as he turned around to face her, "Please understand, I'm not trying to avoid you, but I'm sort of confused right now and until I can get some answers from Washu, I'm not much for company so when I'm ready we'll talk ok?"

"I guess so. Well, when you're ready, you know where to find me." Tenchi felt a little better and managed to flash a smile before resuming his walk to the shrine. Ryoko smiled back, knowing that her anger would eventually subside. She was too much in love with him to stay mad indefinitely. Ayeka, on the other hand, was a different story.

"Ryoko, will you mind telling me what's going on? Normally, you would never leave Lord Tenchi in such a sad state. What could possibly make you…"

"Ayeka, for the last time SHUT UP!! Something happened to me up there so I need to talk to Washu, and for your information, part of this mess was your fault too. If you didn't go on babbling about me stealing to get Tenchi a present, I wouldn't have gotten pissed off at the party."

"And that was my fault? Who told you to throw that damn energy ball of yours? We may be friends Ryoko, but until Lord Tenchi speaks up and decides on whom he wants to be with, I'll never give you an inch of satisfaction. Do I make myself clear?"

Just hearing Ayeka like that got Ryoko's spirits up. This was the girl that she remembered traveling with all over Japan to find Tenchi when Haruna kidnapped him. _Ayeka can be an annoying bitch at times, but I can't blame her for trying to claim Tenchi. Hell, I may even be happy if he did pick her… NOT! _She thought to herself. "Ok Ayeka, whatever you say. Now would you please leave me alone so I could talk to the resident genius of the house?"

Ayeka was going to answer, but saw that Ryoko was being dead serious and decided to nod instead and let her go. "All right pirate, go ahead and hopefully Washu will find the solution to your problem." And with that Ryoko phased out in front of the princesses and into the house.

"Ayeka, you think Ryoko's in trouble?" Sasami asked.

"Well I hope not, it's bad enough that Kiyone and Mihoshi will be away for a while to investigate the murder of Lord Braga and Tenchi has been moping around since the monster woman abruptly decided to leave us. Funny, I actually missed our arguments when she wasn't around…"

"Admit it Ayeka, you care for Ryoko just like everyone else…"

"Maybe so Sasami, but no need for her to know that. We'll just keep it to ourselves agreed?"

"Whatever you say sister. It's starting to get late; can you help me in the kitchen? It's getting close to dinnertime."

"Of course Sasami, that's what family for right?"

"Yep and now that Ryoko's back, the whole family is together again."

"No need to remind me of that Sasami." Smirked the princess.

"Oh Ayeka, you're as bad as Ryoko sometimes." Laughed the little blue haired girl and both siblings entered the house to start dinner.

                                                                        ************************************

"WASHU?!? Hey Washu? Where the hell are you?" Ryoko kept bellowing throughout the enormous lab that was Professor Washu's creation.

"I'm over here Ryoko; glad to see that you finally decided to come back to our little family." Smirked the diminutive scientist. "I knew you were mad at Tenchi, but I didn't think you'd take two weeks to calm down."

"It's not that Washu…something happened to me and Ryo-oki out there and I can't figure out what it is."

"Care to start from the beginning?"

"Well, I told Ryo-oki to head off into deep space see where the wind would take us. I just needed to get away from here and eventually, we ended up in the Trillian prime system."

"Isn't that where you used to hang out during your pirating days?"

"Yup and once we got there, I decided that I could use a break from all this hassle with Tenchi. So I met up with some old friends and for the next few days they were happy enough show me around the planet."

"Let me guess, they tried to get you toasted and have their way with you."

"Well, they succeeded in getting me drunk, but they forgot that I can out drink anybody in the quadrant. So, while most of them kept their hands to themselves, a couple of losers tried their luck and got plastered to the tavern wall for all their trouble, heh-heh!"

"Ryoko, what did you hoped to accomplish by taking off like that and making Lord Tenchi miserable? He's been worried sick and you decide to relive your glory days?"

"Washu, you saw what happened. I know I did a stupid thing by getting worked up over Ayeka's present, but I didn't deserved to be humiliated like that!" Barked the pirate.

"Maybe so Ryoko, but if you love him so much as you claim to be, you wouldn't have stayed away so long and not even leave a message to let us know you're ok."

"Well, that's why I need your help Washu. I remember everything from two weeks ago, but for the life of me, I can't remember anything from one week ago and neither does Ryo-oki."

"Maybe you guys had too much to drink, although your cabbit is not accustomed to doing such things."

"That's just it Washu! Ryo-oki wasn't with me partying all the time. She'd take off to some quiet spot on the planet and hang out until I called her so I know she wasn't impaired."

Washu gave the pirate a perplexed look. "Ryoko, you're losing me here. So you have no memory of what happened a week ago, why do you think something's wrong?"

"Because short stuff, the last thing I remembered sitting down at a table, guzzling down a few cold ones at this tavern and the next thing I remember is being on Ryo-oki. The strangest part was that her chronometer said that a week had passed and neither of us remembered what happened to us during that time. We weren't on Trillian prime anymore and none of my old comrades were in the area so I got scared and raced back here. I need to know what to happened to us Washu, if it was just myself blacking out from drinking too much, then I could understand, but Ryo-oki too? That's too much…"

"Of a coincidence? I'll say." Washu nodded in agreement. Her holographic keyboard suddenly appeared and she began to type in data. "If you don't mind, I want run a few tests to determine what was the cause of your gap in memory. I'll need to examine Ryo-oki as well, but I can see her after dinner." As on cue, a examine table materialized and formed just next to Ryoko's rightside, which made the cyan beauty a little nervous.

"Washu, I'll agreed to your examination, but God help you if try to use me as some guinea pig for one of your crazy experiments…"

"Ha-Ha! The thought had occurred to me, but seeing that this problem of yours has you worked up, I promise to not to try any monkey business, ok?"

"I'm holding you to that, so let's get this over with." Ryoko responded as she laid down on the table while Washu pulled out a device that looked like a pair of headphones that the scientist placed it over Ryoko's head. It had also several wires that came out of each earpiece and little suction cups that Washu strategically placed all over the pirate's head. She then pulled out what appeared to be a black visor that was connected to the other device as they were placed in front of Ryoko's eyes. 

"Now just relax Ryoko, this shouldn't take more than an half-hour."

"What exactly does this contraption do Washu?"

"Essentially, it's a memory scanner; these little plug-ins that's all over your head will stimulate the synaptic pathways in your brain, which will relay all your memories into your cerebral cortex. From there, the visor here will initiate a procedure that will allow your optic nerves to relay those events from your cortex and into the visor."

"In plain 'Galactian' Washu…" 

"I'm downloading your recent memories into the visor. From there, I can connect it to one of my visual analytical computers and from this monitor; we can 'see' what happened to you. The scanning won't take long, but it may be a few hours before the computer can filter out to what we're specifically looking for."

"That's fine with me as long as I get to find out why I'd blacked out. What about Ryo-oki?"

"When I'm done scanning you, I'll call for her and we'll repeat the procedure, although I may have to adjust the equipment to adapt to her neural pathways. In fact, her memories may hold the key to why you two disappeared for almost two weeks."

"Well I hope so, cause I got I bad feeling that whatever happened to me up there, it wasn't pleasant." 

                                                                        **************************************

"TENCHI!! Pay attention to your lesson! You're letting your guard down and I'm penetrating your defenses too easily. Now let's start again." Ordered Katsuhito as today's training session with his grandson could be summed up in one word: Sloppy.

"Sorry Grandpa. I'll paid attention this time." Replied the younger Masaki as he faced his mentor in their ceremonial swordplay. As they bowed and pointed their bokkas towards each other, Tenchi's mind wasn't into the routine as he normally was. This left him open for Katsuhito's frontal attacks as the old man kept parrying and thrusting his wooden sword forward as Tenchi kept staying on the defensive.  

"Tenchi! Keep your balance! How are you suppose to protect yourself and this family if your technique is flawed and your mind not focused on the task ahead of you?!?"  Yelled the older swordsman.

"I'm trying damn it! Just give a second and I'll…WWWHOA!" Shouted Tenchi as his grandfather bent low and whipped his left leg around the boy's feet for a swift leg sweep. The result was a resounding thud.

Katsuhito straightened up and sighed. "Get up Tenchi, the lesson is over for today. I can see that your heart isn't into this, but be prepare to spend the whole afternoon with me training. I'm not letting you off the hook just because your girlfriend's back and thinking about her is no excuse for your lackluster performance." Scolded the old man.

Tenchi was in too much pain to really hear what the old man said, but he knew what the point was. He knew fully well that Yosho would not let up on their practice, but he still couldn't concentrate on the lesson. As he got up and rubbed his buttocks, he bowed to his elder and apologized. "I'm sorry Grandpa, I know better than to let outside thoughts distract me from training, but it's just that…"

"Ryoko's back and you wish to clear the air between the two of you?"

"Exactly, but she won't talk to me until Washu's helps her out with some problem she encountered in space. I wish there's some way I could help her."

"Perhaps you are just overanxious Tenchi. I'm sure that once you have a chance to talk to her, the burden of guilt that has plagued you in the few days will be lifted off your shoulders." 

"I hope your right Grandpa, It's just that every time I get to a moment that I want to tell her how I feel, I either put my foot in my mouth or something else comes up that causes me to push it aside. I'm such a coward at times."

Katsuhito placed his right hand on his grandson's shoulder and decided to offer some good advice "Tenchi, listen to your heart. You need to put aside your fears and just be true to yourself. You say that you are a coward because you cannot say the right words at the right time. Perhaps you should just make the time and just say what's in your heart. Despite Ryoko's anger with you, she wouldn't have come back if she didn't love you."

"You think so Grandpa? She didn't look too happy to see me at first."

"Tenchi, what did I just say a moment ago?"

Tenchi saw that Yosho still had his bokka in his hand and decided it was best that he agreed with him otherwise the old man might inflict another painful lesson. "You're right Grandpa, I need to stop being such a bonehead and just come out with it. What's the worst thing Ryoko could do to me, hit me with another gift box? Heh-heh."

"I believe that I her sour mood, she's liable do much more than you can imagine Tenchi." Smirked the old man, which Tenchi thought about it and gulped in fear.

"I just imagined it and I'm afraid of the outcome." He sighed, "Did you ever had this problem with grandma?"

"Well your grandmother was the fiery type like Ryoko, but then again she never fired energy balls or pointed a light sword at me, heh-heh." Grinned Yosho. "Do not worry Tenchi, when all is said and done, you and Ryoko will be making wedding plans for next autumn."

"W…W…Wedding? I'm starting college soon. Can't you guys wait until I'm finished with ALL my studies?"

"Tell that to Ryoko Tenchi." The old man smiled back with a smirk.

As both men started to laugh, the sky suddenly darkened and the wind started gusting with more force.  As the two warriors looked up in the sky, a huge ship appeared out of the clouds. It was the Juraian battle cruiser _Saibankan _and it hovered just above the Masaki house. Once the ship stopped, a beam shot out from the belly of the ship and widened its pattern to encompass the area surrounding the house, the lake and the shrine. Whoever came from Jurai, they wanted to make sure that no one was leaving.

Tenchi and Yosho raced down the stone stairways as another beam, this one more a lot smaller shot down to the front of the lake. Princess Ayeka and Sasami slid open the front door to see about a dozen soldiers. Armed with metal battle staves, materialized from the beam. As they land, they swiftly scattered to form a circle, surrounding the house. A second beam appeared and out came Azaka and a high-ranking officer.

As they approached the house, Ayeka grabbed Sasami and told her to get Washu and Ryoko. The way these soldiers were armed, this wasn't a social call. Ayeka couldn't help but wondered if this had to do with Ryoko's 'problem', _Please Tsunami, don't let it be Ryoko! This family can't take another crisis and I can't bear seeing Lord Tenchi worried over that woman! _ Ayeka tried to put up a smile as she went outside to greet Azaka.

                                                                        *************************************

"Say Washu, what's that thing you're working on?" Asked Ryoko while the scientist was fidgeting with the memory device.

"Oh that? That's my new intergalactic trans-portal! Remember that portal I used for Tenchi and me to bust you and Ayeka out from that Juraian ship? Well, I used the theoretical physics from that device and expanded it to the possibility of transporting from one end of the galaxy to the other.  If I can manage to get a fixed location on the other side of the portal, we can travel across the galaxy in a matter of seconds. Ha-ha, I'm such a genius!"

"Yeah, if you can do it, it'll be a first, ha-ha!" Ryoko said sarcastically which didn't amuse the redheaded scientist.

"Funny Ryoko. I'll have to remember to use you as my first test subject when I finish it." Washu shot back.

"Hmph, you're no fun sometimes, you know that?" Ryoko grumbled as the machine made a 'ping' sound. Washu checked the gauges and came to her conclusion, "It's done Ryoko. While I analyze the data from your memory, you can get Ryo-oki for me."

Before Ryoko had a chance to say anything, Sasami ran in screaming, her facial expression looking as if a bomb had just hit the house. "Ryoko! Washu! Come quick! We're being surrounded by the Juraian military!"

"SAY WHAT?!?" Ryoko and Washu yelled in unison.

"Juraian soldiers, here? What the hell they want now? Didn't we just saved their ass from one evil emperor already?" Ryoko strongly pointed out.

"Calm down the both of you. I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for this. Sasami, what exactly is happening outside?"

"Well, Ayeka and me saw a transport beam appeared by the lake and soldiers materialized. They split up and surrounded the house. Then a second beam came and Azaka appeared with some officer, maybe a general or admiral, I don't know for sure."

"Well if Azaka's here, maybe it isn't so bad?" Ryoko surmised. "Let's get outside and see what's up. I want to check out what the story is."

"Washu nodded. "I agree, we can wait for the analysis to be completed later so let's see what Azaka has to say to us." And with that, the three alien girls proceeded to the exit door of Washu's lab.

                                                                        ************************************

"Azaka! What is the meaning of this?" Demanded Princess Ayeka as she met the knight halfway between the house and the lake. "Why have you come here with armed soldiers and without notifying me of your arrival?"

Azaka and the ship's captain bowed down to Ayeka when they stood in front of her, "My apologizes your highness, but we didn't want to alert Ryoko of our presence. It was important that we could capture her without endangering you and the Royal Family." Azaka spoke in a quiet, but firm tone of voice.

"The Royal Family endangered from Ryoko? What nonsense is this? I demand that to know what's going on!"

"Your Majesty, I…"

"Allow me Azaka…" The captain intervened. "Princess Ayeka, we have come to arrest the space criminal Ryoko for the brutal murder of the Finance Minister, Lord Braga and his royal escort. These soldiers are here to capture her and to protect you and the rest of the Royal Family from any further harm that she may have caused you."

Ayeka was in total shock. She thought she was having some sort of nightmare as she looked at Azaka. The first knight could only nod when the captain continue to state their mission here. "Azaka, when did this happened and why I wasn't notified sooner?"

"The Holy Council felt that it was best that we kept all communications with you to a minimum, since we did not want to tip Ryoko off. I take it that she doesn't know of our arrival?"

"No, she doesn't, but Azaka I cannot believe these accusations about Ryoko. Surely there's been some mistake?"

The knight shook his head no. "I'm sorry your highness, the Galaxy Police had presented the Ministry of Justice the evidence that was gathered after Lord Braga was murdered. Unfortunately, that information is classified to all except the members of the ministry, the higher ranking officers of the Galaxy Police and certain members of the Royal Family…"

"What Information? What evidence are you talking about?" Tenchi asked as he and Yosho came from the shrine to see the display of military force surrounding the house. " Azaka, what's going on here?"

"Lord Tenchi, Lord Yosho. I'm glad that you are well. I was trying to explain to the princess that we have come for Ryoko."

Tenchi had a perplexed look on his face. While this wasn't registering in his head, Yosho knew quite well what this was and what was about to happen. "Azaka, explain yourself. Why are you here for Ryoko? Is she being accused of a crime?"

"Prince Yosho, it is imperative that we get the entire household into protective custody as soon as possible. We need to get all of you aboard the _Saibankan_ before that murderous pirate discovers our task force." The captain stated as he waved to a couple of soldiers to stand guard with Ayeka, Tenchi and Yosho. From the gate entrance, the guardians approached the princess, wondering what was going on as well.

"I'm not going anywhere unless I get some answers first and what are you implying sir, that Ryoko murdered somebody? I don't believe that for an instant. Azaka, my grandfather asked you a question. What is going on and what is Ryoko being accused of?" Demanded an angry Tenchi.

"Excuse the Captain Prince Tenchi. He's not aware of your family's 'history' with Ryoko. He will refrain from making any more unconfirmed statements until we had a chance to speak to Ryoko, Isn't that right Captain?" Azaka looked into the captain with a rather evil glare, reminding him of what would happen if he were to overstep his authority.

"Yes, of course. We will wait until the accused shows up and we will then take the next appropriate steps to ensure that she will be treated fairly in the Juraian criminal system."

"Again I ask you Azaka, what is Ryoko being accused of?!?" Tenchi asked again, but with a more forceful voice.

Ayeka jumped in, "Tenchi, they're here to arrest Ryoko for the murder of Lord Braga on the planet Xeria one week ago."

"WHAT?!? I don't believe this! There must be some mistake! My Ryoko isn't capable of such a despicable act. Granted, she was a space pirate at one time, but she's been straight ever since she came to Earth. Azaka, how can you believe such a thing? We were all together when we stormed the Royal Palace two years ago. You saw she how risked her life to get us there. How could you believe that a person like that would murder someone for no reason?"

"I don't want to believe it either my prince, but the evidence presented was substantial" Azaka replied, "Once we get aboard, all will be shown to you in due time…"

The captain intervened, "Prince Yosho, Prince Tenchi, where was Ryoko last week?"

The question hit all three royal Juraians like a brick wall and the answer wasn't going to be pleasant either. "Uh, Ryoko wasn't here. She said that she needed to do something in space and just returned today." Replied Ayeka.

"Did she say where she was going or who she was seeing?" The captain asked.

"The truth is that Ryoko had been gone for two weeks and she didn't say where she was going." Yosho answered.

"That's rather odd, she didn't tell you where she was going Lord Tenchi?" Azaka inquired as Tenchi struggled to say the right words without having to incriminate his love. However, any deception on his or the family's part might get Ryoko into more trouble so he reluctantly told Azaka and the captain. 

"The real reason why she left without saying anything was because we had a argument and she decided to leave Earth to calm down for a while. It wasn't until today that she came back and all she said was that she would talk to me after she saw Professor Washu."

"So where is Ryoko now? Speaking with Ms. Washu?" Azaka asked as the captain looked towards the house. As he did, he saw his intended target along with Washu and Sasami. Without saying a word, he silently ordered the soldiers to advance towards the threesome. This didn't escaped Azaka's eyesight.

"What the…Captain, tell your men to stand down now!"

"Too late Azaka, she saw us. Capture the criminal and secure the princess and the other woman!" Ordered the captain.

"What the hell going on here Washu? What are these guys doing?" Ryoko wondered as she saw the soldiers approached her with their battle staves displayed and at full power. Before she could act, two men jumped from the roof of the Masaki house and grabbed both Washu and Sasami and surrounded themselves with a force field. "Ryoko, look out! It's a trap!" Yelled out Washu.

Ryoko put up her Light sword as the remaining Juraian commandos rushed towards her. As two of them reached up to her and tried to connect with their staves, Ryoko merely sliced them up with her sword. She then pivoted back towards them and landed a fist into the face of one. The other soldier tried to bear-hug her in order to restraint her, but she immediately teleported out of harms way and phased behind the soldier and landed a karate chop into the neck of the unsuspecting soldier, incapacitating him. 

As she turned back towards the lake, she saw that Tenchi and the others were watching. As the other soldiers tried to bear down on her position, she teleported again and appeared above them. She then unleashed an energy ball and hurled it right at them. It wasn't enough to kill them, but to least keep them out of action until she got away.

"Ryoko, get out of here! Run away!" Tenchi kept screaming at her, but Ayeka grabbed him and told him that an energy field was surrounding them. When he realized that, it was too late, Ryoko was soaring straight up and into the massive energy shield. In her rush to get away, she didn't see the electrical pulses that the shield was giving out until it was too late. Everyone watched in horror as Ryoko made contact with the shield and the energy was electrocuting her. Yosho covered Ayeka's ears so she didn't have to hear the blood curling screams of the cyan pirate as she struggled to get free from the field, but her power was causing a feedback, which kept her from being able to move.

"Azaka, stop this! You're killing her! Release her please!" Cried out Tenchi, as he couldn't bear more of seeing his love being tortured.

"Captain, drop the force field this instant!" Commanded Azaka.

"But Azaka, we have her where we want her. We can finish her off now before…"

"Captain do it now or you'll be joining her. This is an order!" 

"As you wish." The captain contacted the ship and within seconds, the energy field was deactivated. Ryoko was unconscious when fell back towards the earth and landed with a loud thud.

"RYOKO!!" Tenchi shouted as he ran past everyone and raced towards the stilled pirate. As everyone else ran behind him, Ayeka stood back. She was trying to understand what was happening here, but also something else kept pounded into head as she saw Tenchi reached for the wounded cyan girl, cradling her in his arms, trying to revive her.

"He said 'my Ryoko'; the look in his eyes when she came crashing upon the Earth; the tone of his voice when he shouted her name. Can it be? Can it be that he…he…he has chosen her?" Ayeka's emotions were in turmoil right now. As she started to cry, she wasn't even sure whether the tears were for her friend who may be dying or for herself, after finally realizing that the boy she grew to love had chosen another. She fought back the tears as she tried to pull herself together and headed of to join the others.

                                                                        **************************************

"Ryoko, wake up! Say something please!" Tenchi kept saying over and over as he tried to revive his love. His thoughts were in chaotic at best. One minute he was thinking about how he was going tell Ryoko how sorry he was for what happened at the party to telling her how much he missed her when she went away and to finally tell her how much he loved her so. Now he was thinking of how such a thing could of happened here.

Washu was finally released by the soldier and raced over with Sasami to see the condition the golden eye beauty was in. Sasami gasped when she saw Ryoko lying still in Tenchi's arms while blood trickled from the edge of her mouth and ears. Ayeka saw her little sister in despair and reached out to give her a hug, hoping to find some comfort in the embrace. Washu reached over to Tenchi and asked about her condition.

"She's not moving Washu! I don't even think she's breathing! Please help her Washu, I can't bear to see her like this!" Pleaded Tenchi as Washu snapped her fingers and one of little dimensional portals opened up. She then puts her hands into the hole and pulled out a medicine bag. As she opened it, she pulled out two bright orange pills.

"Here Tenchi, put these into her mouth and tilt her head so she will swallow them. They're a type of stimulant that will cause her body to jump start after being zapped by that energy field." She explained.

"Will she be all right Washu?"

"She hurt pretty bad, but she should be ok in a couple of days. She's going to need a lot of rest though."

"Well, where she's going, she'll have plenty of time to recover." The captain commented as he motioned his men to take Ryoko from Tenchi, "My prince, please step aside so that these men take the prisoner into custody…"

"Like hell you're going to take her from me!" Tenchi screamed out at the soldiers as he pulled out Tenchi-ken proceeded to form the energy blade that was signature of the Jurai Power. Normally, Tenchi didn't carry the sword around, but ever since Ryoko's disappearance, he needed to vent his frustrations out so he would secretly go into the forest and use the sword for practice. It felt a lot better to release the energy rather than playing around with a bokka.

The soldiers stood their ground. They weren't going to fight against a member of the Royal Family, much less with one that had a sword pointed at them. The way Tenchi was looking at them, he was ready to strike at anyone that would try to lay a hand on Ryoko. Yosho sensed the anger his grandson was showing and stepped in front of the soldiers before Tenchi decided to take his anger out on them.

"Tenchi, stand down…"

"No Grandfather. I'm not going to let them take Ryoko away from me…"

"And they won't. We will all go to Jurai and fight this, but if we try to stay here to protect her, they will only send more ships and soldiers to take her. Is this what you want?"

"Of course not, but I don't believe Ryoko has committed any crime, much less than killing somebody she don't know. She wouldn't do this Grandfather, I believe that with all my heart."

"I too believe in Ryoko Tenchi, but to prove her innocence, we must go to Jurai and fight these false accusations. Nothing will happen to her until then, correct Azaka?"

"Yes Lord Yosho, You have my word as a loyal knight of the Royal Court of Jurai. Captain, tell the men to return to the ship, we'll handle it from here." 

"But Azaka, she is wanted for murder! I cannot possibly leave her here without the proper…"

"Captain, Azaka has given you an order and as the First Crowned Princess of the Jurai Royal Family, I will back his decision. If you wish to protest, you may do so when we return to Jurai, but until then, YOU WILL OBEY any orders that the knight has given you, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!?" Said the angry Princess Ayeka.

The captain was caught between a rock and a hard place. His superiors back home will not be pleased with his decision to not imprison Ryoko in the ship's brig, but he was not going to disobey the command of the future Empress of Jurai, not if he wanted to see his career in ruins. "As you command your highness. Please accept my humble apologies, I will not question Azaka's orders again, but may I request that one of my men stay behind as an escort? It will ensure that no one from my unit had neglected their post."

Ayeka glared at the Captain as Azaka looked turned to her. After considering his request, she reluctantly agreed. "Very well, one of your men can stay, but he is only to observe and escort the Princess Sasami and myself to your ship. Prince Yosho and Tenchi will see to Ryoko. Now tell the rest of your soldiers to leave at once."

"As you command. Let's go men. Lucas! Stay with the princesses and report back to me when you return to the ship." The captain gave his final order as the transporter beam appeared and swallowed up the soldiers and the suddenly humbled captain.

As the commando unit disappeared, everyone's attention turned back towards the stricken space pirate and the young man who was still cradling her in his arms. The last time he held her like this was when she was badly hurt from Ryo-oki getting hit from Jurai's planetary defenses. He was concerned for her back then, but his feelings for her wasn't as apparent as it was now. "Washu, will she pull through?"

"Tenchi, don't worry. I told you that she would, it's just that she'll need some time to recover. Don't worry what that moron said earlier; we'll go to Jurai and beat this. Trust me on this." The little redhead replied as she tried to get Tenchi to stay positive.

Going by Washu's instructions, Tenchi gently picked up Ryoko and headed back to the house with Sasami and the Juraian soldier. The poor fool felt the glares that the family was giving him, but had no choice but to stay with them. As they walked back, Azaka, Yosho and Ayeka remained behind to discuss the options that were left. "Azaka, what will happen once we reach Jurai?" Ayeka asked her knight.

"If I'm correct and Lord Yosho will agree on this, Ryoko will be detained and tried for murder, it is imperative that a suitable counsel is retained for her defense or she will suffer the most harshest of penalties."

"You don't mean…?"

"If she's found guilty, Juraian law will demand that Ryoko be…put to death." Yosho replied with a grim expression on his face.

The three Juraians headed back towards the house, walking in total silence, except for the sound of a sobbing princess.

                                                                        ****************************************

From the shadows on a nearby mountain, Oto had witnessed everything that had transpired over the last two weeks. As a spy and an mercenary, nothing usually bothered him, but seeing how the Masaki boy had cried when the space pirate had left him and now seeing him protecting her from the Juraian soldiers made him wonder if this the right thing to do. _A pity really…_ He thought to himself, _But not my problem. The Boss doesn't pay me to be a bleeding heart. _

Oto pulled out his communication device and contacted the planet Xeria. "This is Oto, phase two is completed. The Juraian have captured Ryoko and will be escorting her and the Royal Family back to Jurai. What are my next instructions?"

After a few seconds of silence, a voice rang out, "Oto, it's _me_. Osaka will pick you up once the Juraian fleet has left the solar system and the both of you will proceed to your next target. I want nothing to interfere with the execution of that bitch, is that understood?"

"Y…Yes boss, understood. Oto out." Oto replied as he sat back down on the ground waiting for his pickup. As he looked back at the Masaki residence, he thought about the star crossed lovers once more. _Good luck Earthling, you and your ladylove are going to need it…  _

End Chapter Four

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A/N: Once again I apologize for taking some time for the chapter to come out; my job has been keeping me busy of late and sometimes I'm just too damn tired to write anything. To be honest, this may not be one of my better pieces, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

COMMENTS FROM LAST CHAPTER:

Malena: I would really like to tell you what Ryoko whispered in Tenchi's ear, but then I would have to change the rating of the story to NC-17. LOL! If you want a hint, just imagine a bedpost, rope and a whip. You figure out the rest. ^_^ Look forward to seeing the next chapter of 'Sea of Change". Definitely one of my favs.

Bobr: Well, your instincts were right the first time and yeah, I would also agree that whoever is behind this is afraid of her as well considering that a whole squadron of warships went after her. Still wondering who's the mastermind? By the way, I brought Ah! My Goddess the movie and I was totally impressed. Thanks for the tip; I'll try to get Slayers on my next trip to Suncoast. 

Thundergod: Yes I agree Son of Odin, I'm definitely taking tooo long to do this, but I already told you my reasons. Methinks tis Loki who has cast a spell upon my senses. Perhaps I shall call upon Heimdall to smite that evil trickster. LOL!

LedZepFan: Dude, what would I do without you? But that's what fellow New Yorkers are for right?

ChapMaster: Your comments are quite direct. You're my kind of people

Two things that I would like to add. Someone mentioned that they were glad that I didn't have Tenchi yelled at Ayeka for her part of the disaster. I'll be the first to admit that the princess is not one of my favorite characters, but I don't see the point of Tenchi berating her for any particular reason. First, I don't believe that's not within Tenchi's character to do such a thing and second, if you believe in the theory that opposites attract, then it would make more sense for him to react more irrationally with Ryoko since he's in love with her. I figure that even though he's attracted to her wildness and free-loving ways, he probably would feel more comfortable if she could calm down a little, hence his constant scolding. After all, would you give a damn about somebody's behavior if you didn't feel strongly about him/her? Just a thought.

As for Tenchi getting what he deserved, Let's just say that I had issues with 'Tenchi Forever' and this was my resolution.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net 

Later, alighthawk


	6. Searching for Answers

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Five – "Searching for Answers"

"How's she doing Washu? Any changes?" A concerned Tenchi Masaki asked as he watched the redheaded scientist examined the still unconscious Ryoko from his bed. As she tried to determine the extent of her injuries, Sasami was cleaning her face and arms with a large sponge, soap and a bowl of warm water. Though she didn't show it, the little princess was bravely trying to keep herself from crying as she cleaned off the dry blood that formed around Ryoko's mouth, ears and nose.

"It's been two hours Washu, is she ever going to wake up?" Sasami sadly asked as she got up to go to the bathroom and change the blood-red water to a fresh one.

"It's hard to say. The pills I gave her will help her rejuvenate her healing powers, but I can't predict when she'll wake up. It may be hours or even days, but I will say that she's out of danger for now."

Tenchi sighed in relief when he heard Washu's prognosis. He still couldn't get the horrible image out of his mind as he recalled how Ryoko had flown up into the energy field that the Juraian battle cruiser had put up around the house. When the cyan-haired girl made contact with it, the energy feedback nearly killed her. It was bad enough that he was an emotional wreck from waiting and worrying so much after their big fight, but to now see her like this was killing him. "Can she hear anything Washu?"

"Honestly I don't know, but if you want to say something to her, give it shot. Right now I did all I could. So now the rest is up to her.

Now if you excuse me, I have some data to process from Ryo-oki."

"Washu, how can you be so flippant at a time like this? The Jurai government is here to take Ryoko back to be tried for murder and she's lying here in a coma-like state and you want to do some research?"

"Tenchi listen to me. Just before these bozos showed up, I was trying to access Ryoko's memory of what happened to her this past week. If I can analyze the data from her and Ryo-oki's memory, I might be able to determine if this has anything to do with the murder of Lord Braga. However, this will require some time so that's means that I won't be able to go Jurai with the rest of you."

"But Washu, we need you. Ryoko needs you; who's going to watch her condition if you're still here on Earth?" Tenchi asked with a sullen tone as Sasami returned with the fresh water, accompanied by Ryo-oki.

"Look Tenchi, we all know that Ryoko didn't do this, but unless we can gather some clues and facts about the situation, she's going be tried as a murderer. In the Jurai legal system, their code of punishment isn't a pleasant experience. I think I'll be more useful by staying here in my lab and come up with some solutions. Besides, Kiyone and Mihoshi will be coming back soon and someone is going to have to fill them in on what's been happening…"

"I guess you're right Washu, it's just I feel so helpless right now…"

"Tenchi, the best thing you can do for Ryoko right now is to be sure that you're there with her when she wakes up because I know that when she's opens her eyes, she's liable to do something foolish when she's finds out why they're after her…"

"Don't worry about that, I don't plan to leave her side until we get to the bottom of this!" Tenchi vowed as he reached for the unconscious cyan girl's hand and firmly held it tight. 

"Now if you both excuse me, Ryo-oki and I have some research to do. Come on little one, let's try to help out Ryoko shall we?"

"MIYA-MIYA_MIYA" (Lead the way Washu, I'm right behind you!) and with that, the pair left to the scientist's lab.

Sasami had just finished cleaning up Ryoko when she saw the sad look in Tenchi's eyes. Just by seeing the way he looked over the space pirate, the way he held her hand and caressed her left cheek with his other hand, the blue-haired girl knew.

"Tenchi, you're very much in love with Ryoko aren't you?"

Tenchi's head popped up with amazement when he heard the little Juraian's observation. He initially was going to deny it like he always did but, as he kept staring at his heart's desire; still peacefully asleep for who knew how long, he didn't want to hide his feelings anymore.

"Yes Sasami, I do. I don't how, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with Ryoko. Right now I can't see myself being without her at all. Does that sound selfish?"

"Not at all Tenchi. Does she know?"

"I haven't told her yet and that what's killing me. I so badly wanted to tell her after the party, but you saw what happened. She got so angry and left the Earth before I could smooth things over and now this. It's like the gods are conspiring against us!" Tenchi sighed.

Sasami decided to perk up the young man as she saw the pain that was in his eyes, "Cheer up Tenchi, once this mess is over, I'm sure you'll tell her how you feel and she'll be so happy when you do, heh-heh."

"I hope so Sasami because I could use some good news right now. Uh, Sasami, please don't tell Ayeka yet. I think I should tell her myself when the time comes, but that may be a while."

"No problem. I just hope Ayeka takes it well."

"You and me both. Don't get me wrong, I love your sister and all you girls as well, but it's just that when I'm with Ryoko I feel this _special_ connection with her. I feel…complete. Does this make any sense to you?"

Sasami started giggling, "Yeah, a little. Your father once told me that when you're in love, you sometimes don't question your feelings, you just go with the flow. Now that makes sense to me."

"Hmm…I have to ask Dad that one when he gets home."

"Well, if you don't need me, I'm going downstairs and start packing some food for the trip to Jurai…"

"Sasami, don't they have food on these ships?"

"Yeah, but have you ever tasted the food on a military ship? It's absolutely awful, so I'm making us some for the long haul. I'll leave you two alone now, get some rest Tenchi." Sasami advised the young prince as she stepped out into the hallway.

Tenchi grabbed his study chair as he sat next to the sleeping Ryoko. He couldn't help but marveled how peaceful and beautiful she looked as she slept. He wanted her so badly to wake up so he could finally tell her how much he loved her…to relieve the burden of guilt he had been carrying on his back since she had left. 

"I don't know if you can hear me Ryoko, but I'm so sorry that things are turning out the way they are. If it wasn't for my stupidity that day, you wouldn't have taken off to space and none of this would have happened. Please wake up soon Ryoko, cause I have so many things to say to you…that I love you and I just want to spend all my days and nights with you and you only." He then leaned towards her as he took her hand once more and kissed her softly on the lips. It wasn't a true kiss he thought to himself, but maybe somehow, it'll let her know that he was there with her.

                                                                        **************************************

Downstairs at the living room, three members of the Juraian Royal Court sat down by the sofa with heavy hearts. They have spent the last couple hours discussing the events that have just transpired and the actions that the Ministry of Justice would be taking to ensure that the alleged murderer of Lord Braga would be severely punished.

"There has to be something we can do for Ryoko. She may be a rival to me, but I cannot sit here and believe all this rubbish about her committing a serious crime like murdering Lord Braga." Princess Ayeka said in total disbelief as Yosho and herself listened intently to what Azaka had been revealing to them. They were careful not to reveal any plans since the Juraian soldier Lucas was standing in attention by the stairs. His orders were to watch the princesses and escort them if they decide to go elsewhere, but everyone in the room knew that their conversation would be reported back to the Captain of _the Saibankan_, who had received his orders from the Holy Council of Jurai.

Sasami came down the stairs as the three elder Juraians continued their conversation when Yosho spotted the little blue-haired girl. He motioned for her to come over beside him and whispered something in her right ear. The little princess giggled as she winked to Yosho. He smiled back knowing that Sasami would be assisting in distracting their unwelcome guest.

"Excuse me? It's Lucas is it?" Sasami inquired as she stood in front of the soldier as he bowed his head to acknowledge her. "I need to go the market and buy some supplies for the trip back to Jurai. Can you come with me, because those bags tend to be heavy and everyone else here is busy…"

"Uh, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to leave the premises. I would need to contact the captain and…"

"Soldier, didn't your orders specifically said that you are to escort the Princesses Ayeka and Sasami at all times?" Azaka questioned the young Juraian as he joined in on the plot.

"Yes sir, it did but…"

"Well, Princess Ayeka will be here when you get back with her younger sister. I would hate to tell your captain that you left one of them unattended while just standing here. It wouldn't look good on your record, would it now?"

"U…uh of course not, my apologizes sir, I meant no offense! I will escort the princess to her destination and bring her back safely."  

The soldier stammered as he bowed to the group of three and allowed Sasami to take his hand and lead them to the doorway.

"We won't be long sis, but you'll check on Ryoko later will you?"

Ayeka could hardly contain her laughter as she witnessed the near flawless executed plan of getting the soldier out of the house. "Of course Sasami, now go run along and don't get into any trouble with Lucas all right?"

"Don't worry about us, we'll be back soon enough." The young princess impishly smiled as she dragged Lucas out the door.

"Well, now that our little spy is gone for a while, let's talk about our options shall we?" Declared Yosho as all three regained their serious composure and concentrated at the crisis at hand.

Ayeka spoke first, "Azaka, what can you tell about this evidence against Ryoko?"

"Essentially your highness, the Galaxy Police's security surveillance network that monitors the activities of the populace of the planet Xeria recorded the area where Lord Braga and his escort were murdered one week ago. Here, allow me to show you." Azaka pulled out a tan colored knapsack, which contained several items. One was a flat circular device with a small slot on its side. He placed the device on top of the living room table and activated it. He then revealed a small disc and inserted it into the device and a holographic image rose above the table, showing exactly what the security cameras saw that night. The knight then began to describe the particulars of this disc. 

"According to the surveillance report, a suspicious individual entered the tavern at approximately fifteen minutes after midnight, Xerian time. This was about fifteen minutes after Lord Braga had entered the establishment in which he made contact with some second rate space pirate called Yataka. Twenty minutes later, the Royal Juraian Transport Yahwawas under attack and immediately destroyed above the northern region of the planet; speculation is that the ship might have been Ryo-oki, but no visual confirmation has been reported."

"But how can they assume that it was Ryo-oki if they didn't see who fired upon the transport?" Asked Ayeka.

"That's because your highness, they concluded their theory based on this…" Azaka pointed to the hologram once more and as the populace raced outside to witness the ship's explosion from high above the atmosphere, two shadowy figures leisurely walked out of the tavern, also watching the lightshow. As the people made their way back indoors, the camera zoomed its way towards the tavern as it noticed that the patrons reversed their direction and walked elsewhere. As the camera continued to focus on the mysterious pair, one of then raised their head up towards the camera and looked directly at it. Sounds of gasps and disbelief suddenly filled the room when the face of the alleged murderer appeared.

"No! It can't be! It can't be her!" Ayeka kept repeating in total shock of what she saw.

"Unfortunately it's true." Azaka said in a low tone of voice as the image of Ryoko appeared to all three of them. "This is what the network had recorded and shortly afterwards a transport beam appeared and they disappeared; again the speculation is that it might have been Ryo-oki, but the ship entered hyperspace before the network could record anything."

"Azaka, what did they find in the tavern? Did anyone actually saw Ryoko kill Braga?" Yosho inquired.

"As far as witnesses my Lord, several individuals claimed to have spotted Lord Braga, his escort and Yataka entering a back room where the murder took place. Fifteen minutes later, a cloaked figure also entered the room. No one for sure could say what the person looked like, but from the manner the individual was standing and walking, they knew that it was a woman." Azaka then paused as he pressed a button on the device and more images appeared, some of which were so graphic and horrible, Princess Ayeka could barely look without feeling the urge to throw up.

"As you can see from the images, the first one to die was the escort. His name was Kenji Autamon. It was estimated that a weapon was fired from the doorway and struck the young escort on the head. He had no chance to even pull out his weapon, which was led to believe that the killer took them by surprise…"

"And which probably meant that Lord Braga was set up." Added Yosho.

"That's an assumption that the Galaxy Police believes, but the Holy Council wishes to hold off that possibility until more information is revealed." Azaka replied, "As far as Lord Braga's demise, it appeared that he might have been sitting when he was hit or possibly was forced upon the floor, since the chair next to him was broken.  If he did died on the floor, it would also explain his left hand being broken, but the report hasn't stated whether it happened due to the fall or done by one of the killers. As far as the cause of death, the same energy weapon was fired at him at point blank range. Neither men had a chance whatsoever."

Yosho studied the images in great detail. His face gave no indication of what he believed to be true or false. After several minutes of total silence, he spoke with great concern. "There seems to be a lot of conflicting facts with this investigation, however the security cameras capturing the image of Ryoko is very damaging. Unless we can prove that the person at the tavern wasn't her and find out exactly where she was at the night of the murder, the Justice Ministry will swiftly come down on her and order her execution."

Ayeka was already upset after seeing those mutilated bodies on the holographic display. The thought that her friend and rival could be involved was too much to bear. She stood up and with her lips trembling, she asked Yosho her most dreaded question, "Yosho, do you believe that Ryoko can be proven innocent?"

"To be honest, I do not know. The killing of a Jurai official is a capital offense and usually any accused person is dealt with rather harshly. To make matters worse is that Ryoko was a wanted criminal with a long record and the Ministry of Justice would take that into account despite the fact that she had helped us to defeat Kagato."

"There's another issue to deal with as well." Azaka added.

"What other issue can be more important that this?" Ayeka nervously asked.

"As the first crowned princess, you are the head of all the Jurai ministries, including the Ministry of Justice. While the tribunal will decide whether Ryoko is innocent or guilty, you have the final decision on whether her sentence will be death or a lesser sentence."

"This is good news then, I can simply order the Ministry to have her sentence communed to life or some other penalty." Ayeka surmised.

Yosho wasn't as optimistic though, "It's not that clear cut and dry Ayeka. Should Ryoko be convicted of murder, the majority of the people will want an execution. If you decide to lighten her sentence without provocation or the simple fact that she's your friend, certain sectors of the government could demand for your removal as successor to the crown. In short, we could have civil unrest among our people, which could lead to a civil war on Jurai."

The purple-haired princess drew a blank stare as the old priest continued to recite every possible scenario that could occur when Ryoko and the others reached Jurai. "Most certainly the politicians and military officers will be pressuring you to accept the verdict of the tribunal and allow the execution to take place. You will have to tread very carefully Ayeka, a lot more is at stake here other than proving Ryoko's innocence."

Ayeka stood there trembling. Most of her time as first princess to the crown, decisions were usually made by her cabinet ministry, which allowed her to stay her on Earth with Tenchi and the rest of her 'family', but now she would be forced to choose a path that could lead to the death of her friend or civil war on her home world. All of the sudden, the weight of ruling an empire had multiplied to such an extent that she began to shake uncontrollably. Yosho went over to her and embraced her, hoping to calm her down.

"Ayeka, be at ease. We haven't come to that part of the equation yet. If we can find out who did this, then your time to decide on Ryoko's life may not come to pass…"

"But Yosho, what if we can't? What if I have to choose between my friend and my kingdom? If I don't allow the execution to proceed, members of the ministry can cause discontent among the people. If I do nothing, then Ryoko could be put to death and it'll be like I killed her myself. What will Tenchi and the others think of me? I couldn't live with myself if this came to pass! Please Yosho, Azaka! Please tell me you can help Ryoko! Please say that this is just a bad dream that will go away. Please tell me anything…anything that will make this nightmare go away! I…I couldn't bear it! I…I…" 

Yosho could not offer any guarantees. As he held on to the sobbing princess, he could only imagine what would happen to Tenchi if he had to see Ryoko convicted and executed, just as he had finally learned to open his heart to someone he truly loved since the death of his mother. To lose Ryoko and possibly Ayeka to the madness could end up being more than his young soul could take.

_No, I will allow this! May Tsunami guide me to the right path for I will not allow any more pain to come to neither this family, nor my people as well! _He swore to himself as he guided the Ayeka back to the couch and allowed her to cry on his chest until she fell asleep, exhausted from this ordeal. 

                                                                        *************************************** 

"Now just sit here tight and let little Washu examine your memory cells, ok? This shouldn't take long." Said the diminutive scientist as she placed Ryo-oki on the same examination table as Ryoko was a few hours ago. After reconfiguring the scanning device to adapt to the cabbit's memory cells/data bank, Washu wanted to quickly analyze the information so she could prove Ryoko's innocence. Despite the lack of proof, she knew deep down that the pirate's sudden memory loss and the murder occurring at the same time wasn't a mere coincidence. As she left the scanner on automatic, she decided to make a phone call…  

(Three Minutes Later…)

"This is the Galaxy Police Cruiser Yagami, Detective First Class Makubi speaking." Answered the teal-haired girl as the ship's monitor finally flashed Washu's face on the screen.

"Kiyone where are you right now? I need for you to turn around and get back here ASAP!"

"Washu, what's wrong? Did something happen after we left Earth?"

"Oh, nothing much. The Jurai military decided to drop by and surrounded the house and Ryoko was almost electrocuted while trying to break through their force field. Did I also mentioned that they're here to take Ryoko back to Jurai to try her the murder of Lord Braga?"

"WHAT?!? You can't be serious? How the hell did this happen?"

"I don't know Kiyone. Ryoko stopped by and told me she had no memory of the past week and that coincides with Braga's death on Xeria. I was trying to analyze some of the data that she provided me through her neural pathways and that's when 'our guests' arrived."

"This is unreal Washu. I can't believe Ryoko would be involved in such a thing. Is there any evidence to prove that she did it?"

"Well, Azaka's here with the military and he's discussing the matter with Ayeka and Katsuhito now as we speak. Kiyone, can you come back here? I'm going to need your help if we're going to vindicate Ryoko."

"I can't; at least not right away. We're about seven hours from HQ and I'm pretty sure they will want to know what happened on Earth. When are they planning to take Ryoko back to Jurai?"

"Not right away, Ayeka and Azaka had ordered the assault group to return to the ship, but it's only a matter of time before they insist that Ryoko goes back with them or else. Everyone will be going along except for Nobuyuki and myself; he's still at work. Boy, he's going to flip when he hears about this."

Kiyone slouched back to the pilot's seat, her head still spinning from what Washu told her. As much as she would have liked to turn around and go back to help her friends, her best bet was to continue her traveling to HQ. Perhaps there she'd find some answers since Jurai and the GP were cooperating with each other since this case began.

"Washu, Mihoshi and I will try to attain whatever information HQ may have on this case and we'll swing back and pick you up before we head for Jurai…"

"That's assuming that your superiors will let you near Jurai. Remember Kiyone, they know you're friends with Ryoko and they may hold that against you…"

"That's a chance I'm willing to take. I'll contact you when we find out anything at HQ. Kiyone out!" Kiyone sounded off as the ship's monitor switched from Washu's face, back to the normal viewing of outer space, "Damn it, this is bad! Better get my ditzy partner up here and tell her the bad news." Kiyone sighed as she pressed the 'com' button the internal ship audio, "MIHOSHI! GET YOUR ASS UP HERE, WE GOT TROUBLE!!"

                                                                        **************************************

"Tenchi? Tenchi…are you in here?" Whispered Yosho as he quietly entered his grandson's room. As he carefully slid the door open, he saw that Tenchi was sitting along side Ryoko, asleep. His face buried in his arms as he placed his head on the bed just beside hers. He stood there for a few minutes, watching the two of them like this. If this was two years ago, he would've of been shocked to see the both of them so close like this, but not any more. His face grew grim when he thought of the prospect of telling his grandson that his love would be tried and possibly executed for this serious crime.

_He will not understand the complexity of the whole thing. _Yosho thought to himself, _He has such a good heart and a peaceful soul; how will he react if they convict her? How will he react once he finds out that Ayeka may hold the life of Ryoko in her hands? I pray that Tsunami will grant us the strength and determination to weather this storm and to find our adversary before this goes too far... _

"Grandpa? Are you ok, you look like you're lost in thought." Tenchi asked the old man as he woke up from his slumber. Yosho was so deep in thought that he didn't noticed Tenchi waking up in front of him.

"Uh, yes I'm fine. I was…remembering when Ryoko first came here and how she intimidated you with her brashness. You were so shy back then." The old prince answered as he tried to hide his true thoughts with an impish grin.

"Yeah, I guess I was, but Ryoko was so brazen and wildwhen she first came here. I remembered those first few weeks I kept the door locked because I was afraid she'll sneak in and try to sleep with me, heh-heh." Tenchi laughed softly as he looked at Ryoko once more.

"And how do you feel now?"

"Like my world is crashing down all over me and I can't do anything to stop it. Grandpa, what's going to happen when we reach Jurai?"

Yosho walked and placed his hand on Tenchi's shoulder with his face showing no emotion, "I won't lie to you Tenchi, the Ministry of Justice will do their best to try and convict Ryoko of this crime. We have to find the person responsible for this or else…"

"Or else what Grandpa?"

"Or else…if she's convicted of the murder, she could be…sentenced to the most severe punishment the laws of Jurai can impose on a criminal." Yosho replied, as he realized that he couldn't muster the courage to tell Tenchi of what will actually happen to Ryoko if she's found guilty.

Tenchi wasn't good at reading faces like Katsuhito was, but he knew enough to see that his grandfather was hiding something from him. He decided to take an educated guess of what it was and pray he was wrong. "Grandpa, do they execute people for murder on Jurai?"

"Yes…yes they do grandson and this homicide would be under that penalty code. I'm sorry Tenchi, but the tribunal will probably look for the death sentence if they can prove that Ryoko had murdered Lord Braga." 

Tenchi stood in silence as his grandfather reluctantly explained the situation to him. His face turned pale, his hands rolled into fists as he tried to control his emotions. As he looked back at his ladylove once more, a tear swelled up and trickled down his left cheek as he tried to make sense of all this. * sniff * "Grandpa, can Ayeka do anything about this?!? I mean she's the crowned princess of the whole damn empire! She must have the ability to prevent this!"

"As much authority as Ayeka has as the future ruler of Jurai, she cannot intervene when it comes to the trial. However, she may intercede and determine what sentence Ryoko may receive if she's proven guilty, but that is where politics and problems will arise."

"I don't understand…"

"The killing of a Juraian Lord is capital offense. In most cases, the punishment is usually death without exception. However, if Ayeka decides to give Ryoko a lighter sentence, the populace may consider that a sign of weakness on her part since the people are aware of Ryoko's association with us and her help in defeating Kagato."

As Katsuhito strolled towards the window, which had a view of the serene lake, he continued his grim assessment of what will come to pass on his homeworld. "There are a number of scrupulous politicians and high-rank military leaders who would use that weakness to exploit the general population and cause a civil unrest on Jurai. If we cannot prove Ryoko's innocence, Ayeka may be force to make a painful decision that she is not ready to make. Tenchi, as much as you wish to help Ryoko, you must also share your strength and compassion with Ayeka as well. She needs to know that you'll be there for her as well, especially if she is forced to make a choice that can affect so many lives." 

"I…I understand grandfather, but right now I my place is with Ryoko. I'll speak with Ayeka later about all this, but damn it, all this is happening and I'm pretty sure she's wondering why I'm so attentive with Ryoko. Do you think she knows?"

"Hard to say grandson, but right now I believe she has other matters to be concern about." Yosho answered. He then gave his grandson a slap across the shoulders to reassure him that all was not lost, turned around towards the door and left for the stairs.

                                                                        ************************************

"Professor Washu? Are you here?" Bellowed Azaka as he entered the laboratory of the scientific genius. He had heard stories about the lab when the gang was on Jurai after the Kagato incident. He knew that Washu was the absolute master of conjuring up multiple dimensions and subspace portals, but he never imagined that she could create all this machinery within such a marginal confine of space. After walking around for several minutes, he was starting to wonder if he entered the wrong dimension, but just then he heard the humming of what appeared to be a scanning device with something furry lying on a metal table. As he got closer, he realized that it was Ryo-oki attached to a bunch of wires surrounding her head. The little cabbit saw the bearded knight and began to converse with him, although Azaka did not have a clue to what she was saying.

"I'm sorry little one, but I don't understand anything you're trying to tell me."

"She's trying to tell you how happy she is to see you…"

"Huh? Oh it's you Professor Washu…"

"Please Azaka, just call me Washu, or if you must, Ms. Washu…"

"Very well, uh, Washu. Have you come up with anything vital that can help us with this murder?"

"Nothing yet I'm afraid. I'm still haven't finish scanning Ryo-oki yet and the data I pulled out from Ryoko's memory still hasn't been completing analyzed by the computer. By the time I completed processing all the data, you may be halfway to Jurai by then." Washu sighed as she continued to press the keys on her holographic console.

"Hmmm, I was hoping you had something by now because the fleet captain will be hailing us soon and I fear that our little delay will have to end."

"Azaka! You know that this is wrong! Despite what evidence the GP and Holy Council have in their hands, Ryoko didn't do this! I just know it in my bones!" Proclaimed Washu as her hands curled up into little fists. She may have some problems with Ryoko over the last couple of years, but she was still her friend and knowing that Ryoko could die just made her blood boiled inside.

Azaka saw the raw emotion that the fiery redhead was displaying and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Calm down Washu, this ordeal is far from over and by Tsunami, we will get to the bottom of this" He then reached into his pockets and pulled out the disc that contain the video surveillance from Xeria, "Here, take this. I believe you can use this to help you further with your investigation of Ryoko's memory lapse."

"Is this the 'smoking gun'?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"An Earth phrase, basically I'm asking you is this the evidence that has Ryoko in deep…well you know what I mean."

"This is one copy of the video. Technically I should not be showing this to anyone except members of the Royal Family, which would be Lord Yosho and Princess Ayeka, but seeing that this is such damaging evidence, I will allow you to have it and examine the contents. Perhaps you'll find some clues in the video where as the council and Galaxy Police had failed to do so."

"Trust me Azaka, if there's anything on that disc that's not kosher, I'll find it! I swear it!"

"Excellent! Then what I'll do is I will confine with Lord Yosho and we will come up with an excuse of why the disc was somehow 'lost' in transit." The knight replied with a smirk, hinting how the evidence might disappear.

"Great, I'll get cracking right away. Azaka, can you please tell Lord Katsuhito to come by and see me? I have a few things to tell him before all of you go to Jurai."

"As you wish. Uh Washu, What is 'Kosher'?"

"Another Earth expression. I guess I been living here for so long, some of the native culture is starting to rub off on me. Ha-ha!"  

"Interesting planet. Perhaps when this is over, I shall come back to visit the different places on this sphere."

"You should and if you do, I'll be more than happy to guide you around." Washu said as she impishly smiled at the knight. Azaka noticed this and began to clear his throat as if to change the subject.

"Well, * ahem *, I would find that enjoyable, uh… I believe I should be going back to tending Lord Yosho and the Princess."

"Well, you do that big guy and I'll talk to you later." Answered Washu as she winked back at the suddenly blushing knight.

                                                                        *********************************** 

"We're Back! Did we miss anything?" Squealed Sasami as she and Lucas entered through the kitchen, with the Juraian soldier carrying about six heavy shopping bags of every conceivable food that can be thought of. As the little blue-haired girl instructed him to place them on the kitchen counter, she glanced over towards the living room to see her sister asleep. At the same time Yosho was coming down the stairs and Azaka was coming out of Washu's door, still blushing from his rather 'interesting' talk with the frisky genius.

"Sasami, I see that you practically brought the whole market back with you. I hope you realize that you won't have time to cook anything before we leave for Jurai." Yosho commented.

"I figured as much Grandfather, but I could always commandeer the galley aboard the ship, right Azaka?"

"Indeed you can your highness and young Lucas will assist you, isn't that right Lucas?"

The young soldier was still putting the bags down when he heard the knight's question. He instinctively snapped into attention when he heard his name called. "Yes sir! As you wish! I will assist the princess in whatever capacity that is required."

"Hee-heh, he's sure is the nervous type isn't he?"

"Well your highness, As good as young Lucas has been as a soldier, he still tends to be uptight when around his superiors." Azaka answered as he approached the stiff young man. "At ease soldier, this isn't a drill. Just help the princesses with whatever items they wish to take with them to Jurai, understood?"

"Yes sir." 

"Good. Now let us…" Before Azaka could finish his sentence, his communicator went off. It was the fleet captain.

"Azaka, we have just received orders from the Holy Council and they request that we get under way. Any further delays and I am ordered to return to the planet with large recovery force and if need be, to take the accused by force. Is that understood?"

"Understood Captain. Can you give us one hour? Prince Yosho is finishing up some loose ends here and Lucas is assisting the princesses with some of their belongings." Azaka replied, with some other choice words being whispered under his breath.

The captain was growing impatient. As much as he would like to storm the house and drag Ryoko away in chains, he didn't like the match up of his commandos versus the Royal Family. One being with the Jurai Power he could handle, but not three of them plus a knight and possibly Ryoko if she was awake. A slight delay wasn't going to make a difference. "Very well, you have one hour, but after that I'm coming down with a armed platoon." The captain threatened with such false bravado. He figured at the least he should act tough so as not to lose face with his men.

Yosho and Azaka looked at each other with grim expressions. They realized now that once they leave Earth, their options would be limited. Meanwhile, Ayeka was waking up from her slumber.

"Yosho? Azaka? Is something wrong?"

"It's time Ayeka. We have to prepare to leave in one hour." Yosho said as he looked towards the direction of Tenchi's room. "Would you please go and tell Tenchi that he needs to pack a few things? We really don't know how long we'll be away."

Ayeka was hesitant to go upstairs. Afraid to face Tenchi for various reasons, she looked at Yosho as if to let her be excused, but the shrine master smiled slightly and walked over to her to reassure her that all is well. "Just go and tell him that we're leaving and do not be distress over our other problems right now. We will face them one at a time."

"But Tenchi and Ryoko…"

"Tenchi will speak to you when the right opportunity comes, but now just tell him to prepare for our quick departure." Yosho ran his hand up Ayeka's back, hoping to instill some confidence in the young princess since he knows she faces a very difficult road ahead. Even though Ryoko is the accused, Yosho understood that Ayeka would be going through a trial of her own also; a test to see if she can effectively rule a kingdom that seems to be tearing at the seams.   

"Very well Lord Yosho, I'll tend to Tenchi and start packing myself as well." sighed the princess.

"Good. Sasami is already upstairs with Lucas so this shouldn't take long…"

"I'll see to Ryoko's belongings as well. I suppose she'll need a few things for the long journey home…"

"Once she's detained by the Jurai military, she won't be needing much I'm afraid." Added Azaka

"Must she be locked up like some caged animal Azaka? Granted, she can be as vicious …" Ayeka started to smirk at the thought, but quickly stopped herself as she recalled how criminals are treated in Jurai's prisons, "She'll be all alone."

"The laws of Jurai are absolute. Once she's there, she will be detained until her trial is over, however since the Royal Family is involved, we can bend the rules a bit. Otherwise, the people will be up in arms if Ryoko was allowed to be free during her trial."

Azaka begrudgingly added.

"Well then, I guess she'll have a lot of visitors, won't she Ayeka?" Yosho looked at the saddened princess. As she looked back at Yosho's kind expression, she suddenly perked up.

"Indeed she shall Yosho, indeed she shall!" With that the purple-haired proceeded to walk up the stairs to check on Tenchi.

Azaka then turned his attention back to Katsuhito, "My Lord, Washu wanted to see you before we left. She has indicated that it would best that she should remain to complete her analysis and possibly find a solution to our dilemma."

"I agree. At least if she stays here, no one would be able to bother her and when the other girls arrive from Galaxy Police headquarters, they can assist her as well…"

"Is there anything else you require your highness?"

"Here's the keys to the shrine, lock all the doors, but as you enter the shrine office, there's a small wooden drawer at the far end of the room, behind it, you will find a black leather pouch. Please bring it back as you leave." 

"As you wish my lord." Azaka bowed back to Yosho as he headed out towards the back door. The old prince then proceeded to go through Washu's door that led to her lab. 

                                                                     **************************************

"Tenchi? It's me, Ayeka. Can I come in?" Asked the princess as she meekly slid the door open partially as not to disturb anyone.

"Huh, oh sure. Please come in Miss Ayeka."

As the princess meekly entered the room she saw Ryoko laid motionless on Tenchi's bed. A powder blue blanket covered her up to her collarbone, with the exception of her right arm, in which Tenchi was gently holding her hand. Ayeka put her head down, as not to look directly at the boy she loved so much. Emotions started to swell up inside of her, wanting to be released, but she kept herself in control. She didn't want to see Tenchi more upset than he was right now. 

_I don't know what to feel right now. _Ayeka questioned herself, _But now is not the time for me to be selfish. Even if he has possibly chosen her over me, Tenchi is still my friend, as well as Ryoko. I cannot afford to be weak, especially now. _

"How is she doing Tenchi?"

"Ok I guess. Washu said she's out of danger, but doesn't know for sure when she'll wake up…"

"Unfortunately, that may be when we are traveling to Jurai."

"Probably. I just wish she'd just wake up so I'll feel better knowing she's all right."

"You shouldn't feel guilty about this Tenchi, you had no way of knowing what was going to happen…"

"But Ayeka, if I didn't yell at Ryoko at the party, then she wouldn't have taken off like that. You'd think after I talked to you girls about being civil, I go flying into a fit of rage after you girls start fighting."

"Well, we did ruined the party for you…"

"True, but that's no excuse for me to embarrass her like that in front of everyone…"

Ayeka winced at she struggled to say the following words. "Y…You really, uh, care about her do you?"

"Yes I do, I mean despite my behavior towards her at times, Ryoko has always been there for me, even when I didn't know it."

Again, Ayeka was finding it hard to contain the strong emotions that were churning inside of her. She wanted so badly to tell him that she loved him and to ask him why Ryoko and not her. This was an argument that had been going on within her for such a long time now; part of her knew that Tenchi was in love with Ryoko since their return from Haruna's world, but the other part of her still wanted to proclaim that she was the right choice. Eventually, the part with the common sense told her that now wasn't the right time to ask. "Yes Lord Tenchi, you certainly displayed your…feelings by standing between Ryoko and those soldiers…"

Tenchi didn't realized what he actually did when pulled out Tenchi-ken in front of those startled commandos. He scratched the back of his head when the princess just reminded him of it. "Well, I guess my instincts must've took over, but I would've done the same for any of you girls. I just didn't like the way the captain was handling the situation and until we clear up this mess, I'm not letting anyone treat Ryoko like some low-life criminal." Tenchi replied with a trace of anger coming from his voice.

Ayeka smiled at Tenchi's comment. True, she believed that he would defend any of the girls with his life, after all they're family. However, the way he had been speaking about Ryoko and the way he raced over to the unconscious pirate's body as he menacingly waved Tenchi-ken at any soldier that would try to take her away from him proved that his actions defined more than just defending a friend; it was like he was protecting a part of his life that was so incredibly precious to him. 

The simple fact was that while Ayeka was still hurting inside because of Tenchi's choice of Ryoko over her, she could take comfort in the knowledge that the young Masaki would fight to the death in order to protect his loved ones. If she ever doubted that, all she needed to do was to remember Tenchi's coming to Jurai and saving her from the evil Kagato.   

"Lord Tenchi, Yosho has told me to tell you that we need to leave Earth within the hour. The captain has been ordered to retrieve Ryoko with a larger ground force if we decide to delay."

"The bastard! I bet he would like the chance to do that." Tenchi hissed at the idea of some military lackey coming after them for some shallow glory, "Well, I'll get some things to take with me, but what about Ryoko?"

"I'll see to her things while I go check on Sasami." The princess answered. Somehow, their little conversation has made her feel slightly better, but there were some issues that she still needed to talk to Tenchi about, "Lord Tenchi, perhaps when have settled in on the ship, we can…perhaps discuss some things?"

Tenchi was a little wary of what the princess wanted to discuss, but if that was case, then that may be the right time to tell her about his feelings towards her and Ryoko. "Sounds good to me Miss Ayeka, it's a long trip to Jurai so I guess we'll have the chance to talk about…certain things."

"Uh, good. Well then…I'll go and see if Sasami needs my help. I'll see you in a hour?"

"Yeah, one hour…more than enough time to get ready." He said unenthusiastically.

As the princess closed the door, Tenchi turned his eyes back on his love, still asleep with no sign of getting up soon. "Don't worry about a thing Ryoko, I swear that everything is going to turn out all right."

                                                                        ************************************** 

"Miss Washu? It's Katsuhito! Azaka said you needed to see me?" Yelled the ancient priest. Unlike the others before him, he was content to stand by the doorway and allow the mad scientist to come to him, rather than get lost in this artificial space.

"Lord Katsuhito, I'm glad you're here. I have some things to discuss with you before you leave on your journey to Jurai."

"The journey will be difficult, just as finding the evidence we need to clear Ryoko's name. Have you found something?"

"No, not yet. I'm done scanning Ryo-oki's memory, but it will take time to analyze what she remembers. Not to mention the disc that Azaka gave me of the crime scene. I'm going to have to work double time to find any discrepancies on that video."

"Well, if anyone in the universe can find anything on that disc, it's you. I have total confidence that you will unveil any secrets that are being kept hidden…"

"Just as I have faith that you will do everything in your power to help your future granddaughter be proven innocent of these charges."

Katsuhito raised his eyebrows when he heard Washu's last comment. "So you too believe that Tenchi and Ryoko…"

"By now it's obvious to anyone who isn't blind Lord Katsuhito. Well, maybe except Tenchi and Ryoko, but she's unconscious so she has an excuse." The little redhead said with a smirk.

'Well Ryoko will be the last to know since my grandson was planning to tell that he has chosen her. However, like his swordplay, his timing needs some work." Responded the priest as they both managed to share a laugh.

"Well, we'll worry about the wedding plans later. Right now I need to give you some items to take to Jurai in order to help us…"

"How so?"

Washu pulled out a small keypad that was the size of a small calculator and as she pressed a few color-coded buttons, a small portal opened up behind and out appeared a large container. As she opened it, she pulled put what looked to be several tripods with a red colored glass ball on top of each one.

"I have been working on a device that will open a dimensional portal from one end to the galaxy to another. With these transponder sequencers, I can lock in on their signal and open the portal to the location that they're transmitting. We're going to need it when I start sending materials over to you for Ryoko's defense."

Yosho was impressed, but had some reservations. "Can your portal transport a person at such a long distance?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure yet. I'm still in the testing stages with that subject…"

"I'm sure that they will come in good use, I'll have Azaka set them up at a secure location in the palace. Any other items we need to take?"

"This small carrying case has the medication that Ryoko may need if and when she comes around. She not in any danger health wise, but you'd never know. Just make sure she takes those orange pills or her healing abilities won't function properly."

"I'll let Tenchi be in charge of that. Thank you Washu, you have been so helpful. Once we reach Jurai, I'll make sure that we keep an open line between us in the event either one of us has anything to report."

"I agree. Lord Katsuhito, do you think we have a chance to clear Ryoko? Your people seem to be anxious to see some blood spilled over this murder. Maybe if I can disengage the force field, we can…"

"NO Washu! First of all, there's a squadron of Juraian battle cruisers orbiting the Earth. Any attempt to escape will be met by deadly force. Remember, only Ryoko is capable of piloting Ryo-oki and that option is out. Second, someone has gone to a lot of trouble to frame her for this crime and we need to face this task head on, or else we will be hiding from the authorities for a _very long time…"_

"I guess you're right. I just wish I knew who our killer could be…"

"If we take the proper steps, Washu everything will reveal itself in time. We just need to be patient…"

"Yeah, just tell that to Ryoko when she wakes up."

                                                                        *********************************

(ONE HOUR LATER…)  

Outside the house everyone was gathered for what will be the most difficult journey they will ever take. Lucas gathered all the Royal Family's luggage and bags and signaled the ship for immediate transport. Azaka and Yosho were standing by the lake, going over the protocols that had changed since Yosho's time. Ayeka stood next to Washu, along with Ryo-oki, wondering if this situation was just as bad as the last time the Jurai military passed by. She still had horrid memories of the episode when they arrested her for treason and to make matters worse, they had her allied with the space pirate when they were still at odds with each other. Washu disagreed.

"That was a bad time princess, but nobody had ever accused you of murder nor were you nearly electrocuted. The last time they were here, there was only one ship; it's obvious that they learned their lesson this time around."  Ayeka nodded in agreement as everyone turned their attention towards the house…

Sasami walked out first, holding the door open for Tenchi, who was carrying the still unconscious Ryoko gently in his arms. It's been almost five hours since the attack and while everyone had calmed down somewhat, Tenchi still had that mad look in his eyes.

The usual pleasant expression he seemed to always have when he was around his love ones were replaced by a cold, serious look that would kill anyone that wanted to threaten him or his family. As he reached the others by the lake, Lucas received a signal from _the Saibankan._ "Sir, they're ready to transport us." Lucas said to Azaka as Yosho motioned everyone to gather around him.

"Listen to me everyone. As we go on to Jurai to defend our friend and protector Ryoko, we must not allow our feelings to overwhelm us. We must be strong for her and for each other as well. We will find that each of us has a role to play in this drama, but while our antagonist may believe that they have won, I tend to disagree. When the time comes, we will need to draw our inner strength from within ourselves and from one another if we are going to defeat this enemy. The people on Jurai believe that they have found the murderer of Lord Braga, but it will be up to us to prove them wrong and to find the true killer of the minister."

"Lord Yosho, do you believe the actual killer will be present during the trial?" Ayeka asked.

"Our enemy has gone to great lengths to see that Ryoko was apprehended and forced to go to Jurai; her memory lapses that just happened to occur around the same time as the murder at Xeria was no sheer coincidence. Yes, I believe our killer will be present to witness their apparent victory, but we shall uncover this treacherous deed and bring the actual killer to justice."

Everyone was moved by Yosho's speech. The only other time they ever saw him so determined was when they went up against Kagato and despite the odds, they won and were acquitted from the false charges levied against them. Now another fight has begun and he was rallying his family around the stricken cyan girl. He would do this for her, as well for his grandson.

Tenchi was equally moved as was everyone else, but inside of him still laid a burning desire to find the person responsible and make them pay for what they done to his love. His anger was such that he wouldn't bother with bringing the killer to justice, but rather to kill whoever it was himself.

As Yosho finished what he had to say, Washu stepped in front of him. "Listen up folks. I'm staying here to continue my analysis of what happen to Ryoko and Ryo-oki last week, but whatever info you hear or find, tell Katsuhito immediately so he can pass it along to me. I'm sure when Kiyone and Mihoshi get back, I'll be able to speed up things here. Good luck to you all and Tenchi take care of Ryoko will ya? She's going to need all support she can get, but none more important than yours."

Tenchi momentarily lost his anger as he heard Washu. He gave a slight smile as he lovingly looked at Ryoko who had her head rested by Tenchi's shoulder blade. "Don't worry Washu, I don't expect that to be a problem. Please tell dad that we'll miss him, but not to worry. We'll be back with Ryoko soon enough." Washu smiled at she nodded to acknowledge Tenchi's request.

"Very well then, let us be off!" Bellowed Azaka as he motioned Lucas to contact the ship for transport. "Ms. Washu, may Tsunami guide you to the answers we seek…"

"And may she look after you all as well!" Replied the little scientist. Washu walked about ten meters back as a yellow transport beam engulfed the entire party and disappeared into thin air. As she walked back towards the house, she was confident that she'd find the clues to this mystery, but she still felt the need to say a silent prayer for her cyan friend, _Please get through this Ryoko, I don't know what this family will do if anything were to happen to you, especially Tenchi…_

End Chapter Five

                                                                        ********************************

A/N: Well, unlike chp.4, I managed to get some time in and write this piece in a relatively shorter time. In case you're wondering or forgotten, Katsuhito/Yosho are the same person. Everyone in the family would called him Katsuhito while Ayeka, Azaka and anything else that's from Jurai would know him as Yosho, which I preferred to call him myself since it's a lot easier to spell.

COMMENTS FROM LAST CHAPTER:

Malena: Realmente quisiera decirle que sobre pérdida de la memoria de Ryoko y el detrás villan todo, pero ése esté engañando. Tengo varias preguntas sin embargo: Es usted latína o apenas en el lenguaje? BTW: Tengo un favor a preguntarle, pero a me email de la voluntad usted personalmente cuando consigo una ocasión.

Bobr: Don't you just love a character that just gets into trouble without even knowing it?  I just ordered 'Slayers' and hopefully it'll be here this week. You know, I can think of a story of Ryoko, Urd and Nahga going out on a night on the town. How's that sound to you? 

Thundergod: The Captain's a bit of a glory hound, but he's pretty much a regulations guy or "old school", but I do recall that episode of "Next Generation". God I wanted to kill Ronnie Cox's Character, but I really liked the second part of the story where Peter Warner played the Cardasian interrogator. Expect a big letter from me this week.

LedZepFan: Hope you're feeling better. I don't know about where you live at, but in NYC the weather's been crazy; one day 60 degrees, the next day 30, what person wouldn't feel crappy under those conditions? If I haven't said it enough already, I say it again which is thanks for the look over. 

Sophia Le Fay: Glad that your story is turning out well. As far as Sasami and Kamedake an item, she still a little too young in this storyline, but if you read my other story 'Second Chance', your idea might come into play when I do the sequel.

Meeckachu: If you read the Prologue, scene II, it said 'One Week Earlier'. My line of thinking was to present the murder first and then go back a week as to why it involved Ryoko and the rest of the clan. As for Oto? He'll be back, but I haven't decided if he'll play a major part or not, just as Ryoko's comrades. 

For those who are wondering, the sequel to 'Second Chance' is in the initial stages. I'll probably post up chapter one by March since I want to knock off a couple of chapters of this story beforehand. Still thinking of a title though. As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net 

Later, alighthawk


	7. Searching for Answers PtII

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Six – "Searching for Answers, Pt. II"

GALAXY POLICE HEADQUARTERS, The nerve center for the Galactic Union. It was here that Detectives First Class Kiyone and Mihoshi had come in search for any information or clues that would help them in their fight to exonerate their friend, the Space Pirate Ryoko. They had spent the last day or so traveling through hyperspace in response to an emergency recall from Commander Neko, head of the Seventh Headquarters of the Galaxy Police. When the official word came out that the Finance Minister of Jurai, Lord Braga, was assassinated, all available officers had been called in to help out with the investigation. 

When the red star cruiser Yagami docked into Docking Bay 18, Kiyone downloaded all the available files of the incident, as well as her personal notes from her conversation with Washu that took place after Jurai military's attack on the Masaki's residence. As she got up from her pilot's chair and straightened out her rust colored tie and the rest of her blue grayish uniform, something kept poking at her at the back of her mind. She couldn't quite place it, but something about the timing of her recall wasn't right.  

_Headquarters knew about the homicide for over a week now, but it's only now that they called Mihoshi and myself back here. There are other cops that are stationed further away, but they were called back before we received any notice. Something's not right. _As Kiyone was lost in her thoughts, an unpleasant squeal rang out in the ship's intercom…

"KIIIIIIYYOOOONNEEE!!!!!! Are you still up there?"

_Argh!! If only headquarters wasn't so picky about sending back defective 'equipment'! I would have stuffed Mihoshi in a cargo container and label it as "damaged goods, return to sender!" _ The poor space cop let out a sigh as she was feeling one of those headaches coming on.

"I'm still at the command console Mihoshi _Unfortunately,_ get up here while I do a system check before Yagami is powered down."

"Uh, ok. Just let me find my watch before I…OOPS!! **CRASH!!… **Ouch."

"Good God what now? Mihoshi, are you ok?"

"Uh yeah, I just slipped and landed on my eating table…Oh, I found my watch Kiyone. Heh-heh, silly me, the watch made me slip…"

"Pity the watch didn't made you land headfirst you ditz, it might have knocked some sense into your head…"

"Oh Kiyone, there's nothing in my head to knock some sense into…"

"I rest my case, now would you mind getting your butt up here? We have to report to Captain Nobeyama in one hour."

"Gotcha Kiyone, I'll be up in five minutes and OOPS!!! **CRASH**!!…Ouch."

"GRRR…just get up here Mihoshi, Kiyone out!" The teal haired woman felt two veins on the side her head ready to burst as she bent down to open a hatch underneath the navigation console and removed the ship's med kit. As she frantically rummaged through the metal container, she found a bottle of aspirin. Quickly she opened the bottle and popped about six bright yellow pills into her mouth; she didn't bothered to drink any water with it.

"I battled space pirates, deranged kings and all sorts of scumbags in the galaxy, but I fear the one thing that's going to be the death of me is my loony-bin of a partner."  The young detective kept shaking her head in disbelief.

                                                                        ***************************************

"Great! Part one of my analysis is completed! Now all have to do is wait for the telemetry report from Ryo-oki's memory scan to be completed and I can start putting together this crazy puzzle." Washu was most pleased with herself. She had spent hours trying to calculate and theorize what happened to Ryoko and her cabbit when they landed on Trillian Prime almost two weeks ago, just before the murder of Lord Braga. As she began to piece the clues together, an alarm sounded off her holographic keypad. She quickly typed a few keys and a hologram appeared in front of her eyes.

_It's Nobuyuki and he's finally back! I hope he had a good time at that two day seminar because what I'm about to tell him isn't going to be pleasant._ Washu sighed as she made her keypad disappear and slowly proceeded to the dimensional doorway that led to the living room.

"I'm home, anybody here?" Nobuyuki hollered as he entered the silent house. It was evening and usually the family would be in the living room watching TV or playing some game. However, the house was dark and there was no sign of anybody being inside. Tenchi's dad leisurely strolled into the kitchen to check if Sasami had cooked anything. As he turned the lights on, he checked the fridge & the kitchen cabinets, but to his amazement nothing had appeared to be made for some time.

"That's strange, if they were planning to go on an outing they would have said something to me, I'm sure of it." As he turned back towards the door, he heard something opening in the living room.

"Hello, anybody there?" He questioned.

"It's me Nobuyuki…"

"Washu? Where is everybody? Did they go out somewhere?"

Washu saw the bewildered look Tenchi's dad had on his face. Even though he always appeared to be a jovial kind of fellow, Nobuyuki had always managed to keep his real feelings hidden from everyone, especially when it came to his son. It was just something he always did since the death of his wife. Since Washu wasn't being her wicked self, he sensed that something wasn't right.

"Washu, tell me what's wrong?"

She paused for moment, her face grimacing as she tried to find the right words to say.

"Uh, better sit down for this one Nobuyuki, it's going to be a long story."

"Did something happen to Tenchi and the girls?"

_"You could say that…"_

                                                                        **************************************

Kiyone checked her watch as she entered the station cafeteria with her partner. She had about forty minutes before reporting to Captain Nobeyama so she figured that now would be a good time to plan a strategy. The trick was to find a way that would have the captain divulge some information about the incident without letting him know what they were up to. As she got on line to grab some dinner, Mihoshi was already getting herself into trouble.

"Kiyone look, I got found an empty table. I'll just wait for you to finish getting dinner while I…whoa excuse me! LOOK OUT!"

It was too late. When Mihoshi pulled a chair from under the table, she neglected to look behind her and see a fellow officer carrying his tray of food. The poor young man tripped over the chair and his tray of Miso soup and apple juice flew up into the air and landed on a red headed female electronic technician at the adjoining table. The young lady was all covered with soup and was totally incensed as she got up and yelled at the tall GP officer.

"You idiot! Look what you did to my uniform! Why don't you look where you're going?"

"Hey now, don't yell at me! This bimbo over here pulled out the chair in front of me without looking. Go yell at her!"

Mihoshi didn't care for the male officer's insult, "Excuse me? I don't believe thatas a nice thing to say to me, especially since I'm a fellow police officer…"

Both the male officer and female technician paused for a second and looked very carefully at Mihoshi. The blacked haired officer finally recognized who it was.

"What a minute, aren't you Officer Mihoshi Kuramitsu?"

Mihoshi was pleasantly surprised to see that someone from headquarters recognized her, "Why yes I am, and who might you be?"

"Outta here!" Replied both the officer and technician as they decided to skip their meal and leave the cafeteria as fast as their feet could take them. The other officers and personnel sitting at nearby tables decided to follow the exiting duo's cue and vacated the premises once they heard who the blonde woman was.

Mihoshi scratched the side of her head, wondering why the area was emptying out, but she decided to be polite and wave her hand.

"Uh, goodbye Mr. Outtahere! Have a good day! _Gee, I guess he had to report back to duty, but at least it'll be a quiet dinner. _ She figured.

Kiyone watched the whole disaster as she stayed on line. With her luck, she'd step off the line, help her partner and something awful would happen to her and not the ditzy blonde. _No way I'm getting involved. I want to be in one piece when I see the captain. _

Mihoshi had already laid out the utensils and the condiments when her teal haired partner brought back their dinners. As they sat down to eat, Kiyone started to formulate her plan of action.

"Listen carefully Mihoshi, when we get to Captain Nobeyama's office I want you to let me do all the talking, got it?"

"Sure Kiyone…uh, what were you planning on talking about anyway?"

"Grrr…Hello?!? We're here because headquarters ordered us to? Now it's gotten more complicated since they're charging Ryoko with the murder of Lord Barga…"

"Poor Ryoko…did she know Lord Braga?"

"I don't think so Mihoshi, but the thing is that Ryoko doesn't remember anything that happened to her when she went away. Who knows what she was doing when Braga was assassinated."

Mihoshi saw the downcast look her partner had on her face. She knew that Kiyone always kept a straight and calm face during stressful situations, but this was different. This was a friend they were talking about and the consequences that could be levied on her were going to be severe unless they could come up with some answers fast. Mihoshi could be dense sometimes, but she knew her best friend was hurting a little and wanted so much to cheer her up.

"Don't worry about it Kiyone. I'm sure when you steal some information from the captain, you'll find a way to help Ryoko out."

"You really think so?" Kiyone looked rather surprised that Mihoshi understood the situation at hand without coming up with a pea brain question.

"Oh sure, after all you're the smartest detective in the GP. If anyone can get Ryoko out of this jam you can." 

For once, Kiyone was actually glad that her partner was sitting with her and talking about their plans. As her spirits picked up, ideas started to form inside her head and a plan of action was taking form.

"Well Mihoshi, if you're ready, let me lay out the plan for you ok?"

"Go ahead partner…"

"By now headquarters has found out about Ryoko's capture and are waiting for the Jurian fleet to return to Jurai before issuing any statements to the media…"

"So what's that got to do with us?"

"It didn't hit me at the time, but haven't you wondered why headquarters took so long to recall us since the murder took place a week ago?"

"Uh…nope, not really."

Kiyone was starting to lose the warm feeling for her partner, but continued to press on with her observations.

"Think about it Mihoshi, Ryoko takes off from Earth, one week later a Jurai noble get executed on a remote planet in which the same time Ryoko loses her memory and comes back a week later not recalling anything and with the Jurai military on her heels, as if they knew that she was going to be on Earth that same exact moment…"

"But Kiyone, it sounds like Ryoko may have been involved. You really think she could…"

"Of course not! Maybe when we first came to Earth and didn't know her at all I would of believe it, but we been together like a family for over two years. Ryoko got her faults, but I know that she wouldn't do this. It's not her style and what possible motive would she have to kill Lord Braga?"

Mihoshi looked back at her partner with a perplexed look on her face, "Uh, I thought maybe you'd have the answer…"

"No I don't you twit, but maybe after talking to the captain we might have some idea of what's going on."

"But Kiyone, what if the captain assigns us to another location? We can't help Ryoko and I don't want to leave Earth.* **sniff** *"

Sensing that the blonde officer was ready to burst into tears, Kiyone tried to put a light spin on the situation.

"Lighten up Mihoshi, if the captain tries to reassign us to another sector, we'll just take some time off and go back to Earth and help Washu out. I'm sure by now she's got some answers to Ryoko's memory loss…"

                                                                        **************************************

"So that's the story so far. How do you feel?" Asked the little red head as she finished relaying the entire day of events to a very distraught Nobuyuki who had just finished smoking his fifth cigarette in the last hour.

"I can't believe it, Ryoko accused of murder? It's unreal and poor Tenchi, the pain he must be going through and I can't be there to comfort him…"

"Take it easy pops, Tenchi is watching over Ryoko and Ayeka and Katsuhito are watching over him so everyone's fine until they get to Jurai."

"That's good to know, but Washu, what's going to happen once they reached Jurai?"

Washu tried hard to say the right words, but there was no way of sugarcoating it, "The government will probably have Ryoko detained until the trial starts and most likely have some washed up lawyer as her defense counsel. The worst of it is that if they convict Ryoko of murder, they will probably ask for the death penalty…"

"But Ayeka is the crowned princess, I'm sure she can do something right?" Nobuyuki asked the scientist as if she could give him some good news.

"It's not as simple as that. If they convicted Ryoko, Ayeka can step in and change the sentence. However, there are a lot of angry people on that planet that would go ballistic if they saw that the princess had tried to save her friend. I'm afraid that Ayeka may be forced to walk a path that may prove costly to her as well as Ryoko."

Nobuyuki got and started to pace around the living room. As he dug into his left pant pocket, he pulled out another cigarette. While Washu understood the mental state that Tenchi's father was in, the smoke was starting to annoy her. She walked up to him and yanked the unlit cigarette from his mouth.

"Pull yourself together man! This isn't over by a long shot and I'll be damned if they gonna take Ryoko away from us without a fight! Now I'm going back to the lab to continue my analysis of Ryoko and Ryo-oki's memories so why don't you calm down and fix us something to eat? It'll do us some good."

Nobuyuki sheepishly put his head down, as he felt a little embarrassed over his emotional display. Even though he was here on Earth and not with the rest of the family, he knew that he had to stay strong, for him and for Tenchi. As he grabbed his brown jacket and loosened his red tie, he headed for the kitchen to rustle something up for Washu and himself; he flashed a smile at the diminutive scientist.

"I apologize for my behavior Washu, I should know that Tenchi's friends wouldn't abandon their love one at their time of need…"

"I like to think we're more than that father, I like to think of ourselves as family." The little genius replied.

"You're absolutely right Washu, a family like ours can overcome any obstacles thrown at us. After all, we beat that Kagato fellow and not to mention outrunning the whole Galaxy Police and the Jurai military. I'm sure with your help and father's, Ryoko will get out of this and maybe getting around to marrying my son."

"So you finally figured it out, huh?" Grinned Washu.

"Of course I did. You don't think I go out to the forest at night just to commune with nature do you? When I see Tenchi sneaking out with Ryoko at nights, I managed to follow them ever so quietly as they went to the old Masaki tree." Washu started to chuckle as she thought about images of Nobuyuki tip toeing through the forest to spy on his son. 

"Did you take your camcorder with you?"

"Sure did. I was hoping to capture the sexu…er I mean the natural progression of my son's maturity to being a man. I just wanted to get some insights on his _activities_."

"As far as I know, nothing happened. They just talked."

Nobuyuki sighed, "I know. I fell asleep at some of their rendezvous'. One time I ran into a bear while I was recording and had to run like crazy to make it back to the house. After that I just left them alone."

"Well, I'm starved! How 'bout some food for the all 'nighter I'm about to do? I could use the company also, if you don't mind."

Normally nobody would entered Washu's lab unless they wanted to be test subject for her experiments, but given the circumstance of the situation they're in, Nobuyuki felt it was safe enough to hang around with the red headed woman.

"Just give me a few minutes and I'll scrape up some dinner. Now I hope you realize that I'm nowhere near as good as Sasami when it comes to cooking, but I think I can make something to satisfy our palettes." Nobuyuki refuted.

"Sound good Nobuyuki, I'm looking forward to it." Washu smiled as she headed back to the lab. Nobuyuki walked back to the kitchen, rolled back his sleeves and started cooking.

                                                                        ***************************************

As the turbolift reached the upper levels of Galaxy Police headquarters, Kiyone and Mihoshi agreed that the teal haired girl would do most of the talking unless the captain would specifically direct a question at Mihoshi, in which instance Kiyone could only cross her fingers and pray that questions would be short and sweet and not get them into any trouble. Getting into trouble, however, was the blonde officer's favorite pastime.

The elevator's doors quickly sprang open as the two GP officers made their way down the secured area. Few people ventured up there unless they had the highest security level clearance or were requested by the higher rank officers. Kiyone still had the necessary security clearance to enter this particular area, but she didn't have to use it until now. Mihoshi on the other hand, could only enter the restricted area unless she was escorted by another officer (In this case her partner), or special request by her grandfather. It was a procedure that was designed to protect the higher-ups whenever the blonde officer was aboard the station.

When they finally reached the outer doors of Captain Nobeyama's office, Kiyone straightened out her uniform once more, as did her bubble headed sidekick. She then mentioned some final instructions to her partner.

"Now don't forget what we discussed ok? The faster we get through this, the quicker we can get back on Yagami and head home."

"You can count on me Kiyone." The bubbly blonde answered.

The two young officers entered through the double door entrance and walked towards an office desk manned by a small petite brunette. Kiyone didn't know who the officer was until she saw her nameplate on top of the black metal desk.

"Can I help you?" Asked the blue-eyed officer.

"Uh…yes. Officer _Kebe _is it? We're Detectives First Class Kiyone and Mihoshi, reporting to Captain Nobeyama as ordered."

"Oh yes, the captain has been expecting you. Please go right in." Officer Kebe politely pointed towards the door and buzzed them right in…

Sitting at his Juraian oak wood desk, Captain Nobeyama had been reviewing some paperwork when he heard the buzzer and looked up to see his two subordinates entered the office and saluted him. He saluted back but unexpectedly greeted them like old friends.

"As you were. So, Kiyone! Mihoshi! How are my two favorite officers holding up these days?"

Kiyone was surprised to hear the pleasant tone that the captain was resonating. Surely, she expected a more formal greeting.

"Uh…we're doing fine sir. We're here at your request to debrief us about the assassination of Lord Braga." Kiyone replied.

"Yes, the Braga homicide. Better have a seat ladies, this may take a while." Nobeyama sighed as he returned to his chair and pulled out some files.

Kiyone decided to initiate the meeting first, "Captain, we just heard recently that the Juraian military have captured the alleged perpetrator of the murder."

"That news is not official yet Kiyone, but considering who the culprit is I'm not all surprise that you know. May I inquire as to how you obtained that information?"

"It's from a private source sir, I rather not say at the present time…"

"I imagine so, since the accused is a friend of yours. I'd just bet that you're wondering why headquarters took so long to have you girls recalled, am I right?"

Kiyone was sensing that the captain was trying gauge of what the girls knew of the attack, but she kept her composure as she cleared her throat and replied back, "Well sir, since the murder took place over a week ago, we were kind of curious why we were called back rather late."

The captain's friendly expression suddenly changed to a more serious look. "Let me be candid with you girls. The Jurai government notified HQ that they were planning on capturing the Space Pirate Ryoko when she reached the Sol system. However, since it was a known fact that two of our officers were known associates of the woman, it was believed that it would be best for both parties that you officers were recalled to HQ before the Juraian fleet arrived on Earth."

"But that doesn't explain the late recall. You could have ordered us to come back sooner."

"The reason for the delayed order Officer Kiyone was that HQ had their concerns that you and Mihoshi were once involved in a criminal act with Ryoko. We had to be sure that in no way that you two were accomplices with the pirate."

"That's not fair sir! We're police officers and we wouldn't do such a thing!" Mihoshi unexpectedly jumped in into the conversation seeing that the captain was suggesting that they might be implicated in the homicide.

"We know that now Officer Mihoshi. After reviewing the video surveillance from the planet Xeria, GP Internal Affairs have concluded that you officers had no involvement or knowledge of the crime. We got you out of there so there wouldn't be any complications with the arrest of Ryoko."

"But captain, if the GP command suspected this, why didn't you simply ordered us to take Ryoko in? We might have prevented any violence at the Masaki residence."

"Do you recall when the last time the Jurai military stopped at Earth? They took the both of you under their custody while imprisoning the Princess Ayeka and the pirate. We want to avoid having an conflict of interest with the Jurai government."

Kiyone was seeing that her superiors were bowing under pressure to the Jurai ministry. Somehow, Ryoko was being set up and nobody was even questioning why. "Captain, the Sol system is under Galaxy Police jurisdiction. You mean to tell me that command simply just let the Jurai military come in and capture a criminal? Wait, what am I saying? Ryoko was cleared of all criminal charges after the Kagato incident. It looks to me that Jurai is railroading Ryoko and the Royal Family. Where's the evidence?"

The captain knew that this was coming. He opened a drawer from his desk and pointed towards the leftside of the room. "You want proof? Here it is, but I warn you, you may not like what you're about to see."

As the room dimmed to darkness, a holographic screen appeared and the whole Braga incident was played before the shocked eyes of the two female officers. Kiyone just sat there with her mouth wide open, shell shocked of what she just saw. Mihoshi became distraught, barely able to hold back her tears as she saw her friend at the scene of the homicide.

As the images finally faded and the room lights went back on, Captain Nobeyama continued the meeting as he saw the girls visibly upset at the sight of their friend being videoed at the crime scene.

"As far as any witnesses seeing Ryoko actually killing Braga is still being investigated, however considering the circumstances and the fact that your friend was missing for some time, it doesn't look good."

Kiyone shot up from her seat, determined to get to the bottom of this conspiracy. "Captain Nobeyama sir, request permission to investigate the crime scene at Xeria and question any possible witnesses…"

"Request denied. Didn't I just tell you that your involvement with Ryoko would cause a conflict of interest between Jurai and the GP? If you go to Xeria on official police business, you'll only make matters worse."

"But captain, we just can't stand here and let Ryoko be tried at Jurai. Do you know what will happen to her if she's convicted of murder?"

"I understand your loyalty and compassion for your friend, but like I said before, if you as so much set on foot on Xeria or Jurai as a _official_ representative of the Galaxy Police, your career as a police officer is finished and not even the Marshall can save you."

Kiyone slouched back on her chair, feeling so helpless at the moment. Mihoshi couldn't hold back her tears any longer and began to cry as she put her hands on her face. The captain was feeling bad for his officers, but orders were orders. As long as they wore that uniform, they had to abide by rules. Suddenly he flashed a smile.

"Ladies, you both had a long trip and I'm sure that this ordeal is putting a lot of stress on the two of you. May I suggest that you girls take some time off and get away for a while? I'm sure that you'll find _something_ to keep the both of you occupied.

Kiyone's ears perked up when she heard the captain's suggestion. _Did he just hinted what I think he said? No way! _ Just to make sure, the teal haired girl played along.

"Sounds like a good idea captain. Uh, do you have any suggestions?"

Nobeyama winked at Kiyone as if to acknowledged her request. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe go _somewhere_ that will do you girls some good. Maybe just relax and read a good book?"

While Mihoshi was totally clueless of what was being said, Kiyone kept the charade going as she finally began to see what the captain was getting at. 

"Hmmm…reading huh? What kind of book do you suggest then?"

"I always been fond of mysteries since I can remember. Perhaps you'll _find a mystery_ that will be to your liking."

"I see sir. Well thanks for the tip. I believe that Mihoshi and myself will take that leave of absence. The time off will definitely help us to get some things in order." Kiyone winked back at Nobeyama to let him know she understood everything.

"I'm glad that you girls agree with me. I'll fill out the necessary forms for your absence and I hope that the both of you find whatever it is that will help you out. One thing though, should you get into any trouble while on leave I won't be able to help you out as much I would like to, catch my drift?" 

"Understood sir and thank you once again." Confirmed Kiyone as both girls stood up and saluted back to Nobeyama. As they headed out towards the door, Mihoshi still had a question.

"Uh captain?"

"Yes Mihoshi?"

"I'm not into mystery novels. Do you have any other ideas?"

Nobeyama almost fell out of his chair in disbelief as Kiyone grabbed the blonde ditz and dragged her out of the captain's office.

As Nobeyama got to dust himself off, he whispered a slight condolence to his favorite officer, "May the Gods help you Kiyone. I don't know whether you should be afraid of the person responsible for your friend's framing or your partner…"

                                                                        ****************************************

She had been walking for hours now in a dense forest, barely being able to see anything with so little sunlight coming through. She would have liked to fly her way around, but with so many trees and branches growing all around her, she'd probably smack her head into one.

As Ryoko made her way past an old Sakura tree, she just happened to notice that she was wearing her black and red battle suit. She didn't remembered putting it on, just as she didn't remembered how she ended up in this forest, but she sensed that she had been in a fight recently and that it wasn't yet over by a long shot.

Suddenly the sound of energy sparks crackling in the air got her attention. As she turned around, she was almost surrounded by a half dozen Juraian soldiers with their battle staves, ready to pounce on her at a moment's notice. She instinctively formed her red light sword and swiftly lunged herself at the armored men.

With devastating quickness and speed, she slashed the soldier's staves and armor before they had time to react. As she picked off every soldier one by one, a young looking commando tried to fire an energy discharge directly at her, but Ryoko instantly fired her energy ball at the soldier and the close proximity of the discharge from both weapons ripped the soldier to shreds.

As the cyan pirate hovered above the battered bodies of her attackers, laser fire was being directed at her. This time the Juraian military was sending more troops to capture or maybe kill her, but she wasn't going to wait around for them.

_I don't know what the hell's going on, but I'm not standing here to find out. _ Ryoko told herself as she decided to fly through the forest and hopefully lose her pursuers through the density of the green foliage.As she made through, their laser fire were getting closer and more accurate. She could stop and counter attack, but with so many obstacles to fight through, one of the soldiers might get lucky and nail her. _Let me keep going, there's got to be a way out of here! _

She ran, jumped and flew her way through the forest in what had seems for hours. When she felt that she had lost her attackers, they came charging out from the woods, firing their laser rifles with absolute force. Ryoko was starting to get tired until she saw a patch of sunlight emitting from the far end of the forest. From there she noticed that the foliage was starting to be less dense and realized that she must be close to the edge of the forest.

As she tried to estimate how far she needed to go, a laser shot nicked her in her right arm. After feeling a surge of pain and seeing blood trickling down the side of her arm, she turned around and saw at least twenty Juraian commandos aiming their rifles at her. That was the last straw; if she wasn't going to make it out then she vowed to take a many as these cretins with her as she could.

"You want a piece of me, a piece of Ryoko the Space Pirate? Then come and get me you bastards!  AARRGGHH!!!" With such a ferocity rarely seen by anyone, Ryoko dove into the group of soldiers and tore into them, piece by piece. One was decapitated; another was sliced opened from the throat down to his navel. It's been a long time that Ryoko had to use such brutal force, but it was either they or she and the cyan haired warrior wasn't going to meekly surrender her life to a bunch of military thugs.

She flew up towards a large oak tree and as she floated behind it's thick wide trunk, she counted about ten soldiers to be still alive.

Since they so happened to be bunched together; to protect their flanks she imagined, an idea popped into her head.

_Think I'll drop them a carding card. A VERY BIG calling card! Ha-ha! _ Using brute force, the pirate rammed herself several times into the old oak tree as the men began firing on their intended target. Unfortunately for them, they waited too long to retreat as the tree became uprooted and came crashing down on top of them.   

Ryoko hid behind another tree until the dust cleared and waited to see if anyone had survived. After several minutes, she floated over and saw the remaining soldiers crushed underneath the old tree. She felt somewhat remorse since she didn't want to actually kill these men, but they left her no choice.

Since she sensed no other pursuers, Ryoko continued on through until she saw a clearing. As she finally stepped out from the shadows of the dark forest, she saw a house about a kilometer away. It was then she realized that it was the Masaki house and waiting by the porch was Tenchi, dressed in his black school uniform.

"TENCHI!! TENCHI!! Over here!" Ryoko kept screaming as she finally got the young prince's attention. When he finally saw her, he waved to the cyan girl, urging her to come over to him. Without hesitation, she shot herself into the air and flew over to the house, seeing that Tenchi had his arms stretched out as if to welcome her back in a loving embrace.

Just as Ryoko was beginning her descent, a crackle of electricity flashed before her eyes and suddenly she became entrapped in the same force field that the Juraian cruiser had placed around the house. She tried to stop herself, but it was too late. Like a fly caught in a spider web, Ryoko was engulfed in the energy barrier and all she can hear was her own agonizing screams as she felt her flesh being seared by the energy field…

"TEEENNNCCHHHIIII!!!!!" Ryoko screamed out as she jolted up from her bed in the sick bay of the _Saibankan. _Her body covered in sweat as she tried to shake herself out of her foggy haze. She realized that she must have been having a nightmare. She checked herself to see if she was still dreaming until she heard a familiar voice. 

"Ryoko, thank heavens you're awake!" Ryoko turned sideways as she saw Tenchi getting up from a metal chair near the end of her bed. As she surveyed the room, she knew that she wasn't home on Earth, but rather a military ship. She noticed that she was wearing a light blue nightgown instead of her blue and yellow striped dress the last time she was awake. As she tried to get her bearings, Tenchi sat on the bed besides his cyan beauty, taking her left hand and holding it firmly.

"T-Tenchi, what happened to me? How did I get here?"

"Don't you remember Ryoko? You tried to escape from the soldiers and flew into their force field. If Azaka didn't ordered the captain to shut down the field, you would've been killed."

Try as she might, Ryoko could only recall blurry moments at best. It seems that the sudden shock of the force field rattled her memory so much that she could only remember bits and pieces of her last waking moments. What was disturbing her greatly was the nightmare she just woke up from. Then her body started to shake uncontrollably as she recalled how the energy was coursing through her body, every fiber of her being feeling like it was on fire. 

Instinctively she leaned back towards the headboard, pushing her legs up to her chest as she wailed from the memory of the pain she experienced. Tenchi was startled at first, but grabbed her by the arms, telling her that it was over and that he wasn't going to leave her side.

"Ryoko, calm down! You're safe now and nobody's going to hurt you." Tenchi embraced the pirate and cradled her into his arms. Ryoko stopped shaking for the moment, but quietly kept sobbing into Tenchi's chest. Slowly she relaxed as she started to hear the beating of the boy's heart. For some reason the constant rhythm she heard was comforting, as if the sounds were telling that everything was going to be all right. The firm reassurance from his calm voice helped as well.

"I-I'm sorry Tenchi…I just feel so disoriented right now." She once again looked around her surroundings to get a feel of things. 

"This is some sort of sick bay isn't it?"

"Yes it is. The ship's doctor is in another room right now. The captain of the ship decided that it was best to keep you isolated from the rest of the crew, but I notified him that I wasn't going to leave you alone with the medical staff under any circumstances."

"Then that means we're on a battle cruiser aren't we?" 

"Yes we are, we're halfway to Jurai right now…"

"Whoa, wait a minute! Back up a second. Did you say we're on our way to Jurai? What the hell for and why did these soldiers attacked me?"

Tenchi wanted to avoid this conversation since he knew what was about to happen next, but he felt that it was better that she heard from him first before someone else did.

"Ryoko…I really hate to say this and I still can't believe it either, but you're being taken to Jurai for the assassination of the Finance Minister Lord Braga."

"WHAT?!? Are you crazy?? Whatever gave them the idea that I killed some noble?"

"There was a surveillance camera hovering at the crime scene during the incident and it captured footage of you leaving the tavern where Braga was killed. You were with a man as you left the place." Tenchi's face winced with disgust as he earlier recalled the holographic images with Ayeka and Yosho in the princess' royal quarters. Seeing the images of his love with that loathsome individual made him sick to his stomach, but what really made him jealous was the fact the footage showed Ryoko laughing the whole time. Was she really there? If she was, did she remember what she did and worst, did she enjoyed being in the company of that degenerate pirate? These were questions that kept gnawing at Tenchi's as he saw the evidence against Ryoko. As much as he loved her, He couldn't be sure if she was somehow involved with this.

The sullen expression on Tenchi's face didn't escaped Ryoko's golden eyes. In her heart, she knew that she didn't commit any such act, or did she? There was a gap in her memory and for at least one week she couldn't remember where she was. Such a long gap in time could only have meant that she could have been anywhere in the galaxy and not know it. Doubts about her whereabouts slowly crept into her mind.

"Tenchi. I know this may look bad, but you have to believe me, I did not kill that Juraian lord. Why should I? I didn't know him and as far I recall, I wasn't even near Xeria when I woke up in Ryo-oki."

"But Ryoko, with your memory loss, can you honestly say that you weren't involved with the murder or that other pirate?" Ryoko sensed the mock tone in Tenchi's voice. If she didn't know better, he was more upset that she might have been with another man than the murder itself.

"I know in my heart that I didn't kill anybody Tenchi and I have no clue about being with another pirate at the time. Does this man have a name?"

"Azaka said that he was identified as Yataka…"  
  
"Yataka…that skinny ass dimwit? Yeah I know him, stupidest pirate to ever set my eyes upon in this galaxy. The fool couldn't hold up a bank if they open the door for him and gave him the keys to the vault."

"So you do know him?" Tenchi asked.

"Unfortunately yes. He wanted to join up with me to pull a heist in the Aries system about ten years ago. The guy was so sloppy and annoying that when we broke into the Galactic Reserved Bank on Aries three, I hog-tied him and left him there for the cops. I did most of the planning so I thought it was fair to leave him there as a scapegoat."

"So there was nothing between the two of…"

"Whoa, wait a minute there…you aren't implying that me and Yataka were…Tenchi how could you?" The mere thought that her love would consider such a thought made Ryoko turn a few shades of red.

"I'm just telling you what I saw Ryoko. What do you think the courts in Jurai will be thinking when they show the video as evidence?"

"Evidence? Courts? Are you telling me that Jurai's going to put me on trial for Braga's murder? It can't be true! Tenchi, please tell me you messing with me right? Tell me that this is some sick joke you and Ayeka are playing on me."

Tenchi grabbed her hand and held it firmly once more as he tried to convey his worst fears on the cyan haired woman. "I wish that this a joke Ryoko, but the truth is that the Jurai Ministry of Justice wants to try the killer and the evidence points to you."

Ryoko's drew a blank stare as she tried to weigh the possible consequences that involved this mess. She wasn't well versed in Juraian laws, but she knew well enough of what would happen to her if they convicted her for Braga's death.

"Tenchi, they execute people for crimes like this. How could you let them take me away? Didn't you tried to defend me? Couldn't you save me from all this? Why Tenchi, why?" The realization that she might be executed for the murder had made Ryoko suddenly jumpy. That and the notion that Tenchi didn't help her out was making her more upset. She bounced off the bed and made a dash towards the door, only to be stopped by the young prince.

"Get outta my way Tenchi! I'm not letting these idiots take me to Jurai for my funeral…"

"Ryoko, try to listen to me. There was no other option for us but to go to Jurai and clear your name…"

"You could of tried to help me escape from those commandos instead of merely escorting me to my death." Ryoko scowled back at Tenchi, as he knew that once awake, Ryoko was going to be hard to handle. As he continued to block her way to the door, the pirate kept screaming out her accusations of betrayal from her friends, particularly a certain princess.

"And where's Ayeka? I'll bet she's enjoying all this isn't she? Seeing me in jail or killed off would give her the opportunity to keep you all to herself! Yeah, I can see it right now, that spoiled bitch laughing at my misery…"

"Ryoko stop it! You're talking nonsense so cut it out!"

"Yeah, nonsense my ass! I go to Jurai, get strapped to a chair while you and the prissy princess plan your honeymoon on some secluded planet somewhere while I rot in hell!"

It was obvious to Tenchi that Ryoko was incoherent and really losing it with the long coma she was in, plus this sudden news of her possible execution was driving her over the edge. As she kept struggling to the door, Tenchi stood his ground and refused to budge in inch.

"Ryoko, I know you're upset and angry, but understand what you're saying. You're talking out of fear and no one here is trying to put you away, especially Ayeka. She's been sick with worry about you so please calm down."

"I won't calm down and if you don't want to help me, then get the hell out of my way!" As she tried to circle around him, Tenchi lunged at Ryoko and placed her in a bear hug. The pirate screamed and kicked her legs wildly, trying to make Tenchi let go, but despite the pain she was inflicting on his legs Tenchi wasn't releasing her.

"If you want to get out Ryoko then you'll have to go through me first!" Ryoko let out a primal scream as she kept trying to break loose, but in her weakened state, she just couldn't get free. She thought about using her powers to teleport, but when she did, nothing happened.

"What's happening to me? Why can't I teleport?"

The captain remembered the last time they came to Earth and implanted the room with a neutralizing device that's cancels out your powers just as the jail cells do." Tenchi answered as he tried to nudge the half crazed pirate back to her bed.  "Please stop fighting with me Ryoko, I don't want to hurt you."

"Let me go! Please Tenchi I beg you, I can't go to Jurai, I just can't. YEEAAAHHH!" She screamed out once more in her last futile attempt to free herself from her prison. As Tenchi dragged her back to the medical bed, two armed guards entered the room.

"Is everything all right my prince? We heard screaming and came as soon as possible…"

"E-Everything's fine. She just woke up and is a little disoriented, that's all." Tenchi waved to the guards, motioning them to leave. With both men waiting outside the sick bay, he picked up the now listless Ryoko and placed her back on the bed. As he gently laid her down and covered her up with the dull light green bed sheets, he saw the defeated look on her face. If he had the power in the universe to save her from this torment he would, but he couldn't and seeing the sad expression was slowly killing him inside.

"T-Tenchi?" Ryoko sadly whispered out to him, "I-I'm sorry. Please don't leave me…I'm so scared. I-I-I didn't do this…you have to believe me. Please I beg you, don't forsake me."

"Forsake you? Ryoko, I've been at your side since you got hurt. I'm never going to leave your side until this is over…"

"But the evidence against me…"

"Doesn't matter what the video showed. Ryoko, I know you're capable of many things, but killing someone in cold blood isn't one of them. Yes Ryoko I believe in you and you know why? Because of all the people I've encountered in my life, you are the most honest soul I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I don't know what happened to you out there, but we will get to the bottom of this and then go home together."

Ryoko managed to flash a smile at her love. It felt good to hear that he had been staying by her side since her injury and took great comfort knowing that Tenchi did believe in her. Whatever obstacles she had to face, Ryoko knew that she wasn't going to go through it alone.

"Tenchi? I'm sorry about what I said about you and Ayeka. I'm not just feeling well and I'm pretty scared of what could happen…"

"You're just tired Ryoko. Just try to relax and get some sleep. I'll see if Sasami can get you something to eat later, ok?"

"That'll be great. Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

Tenchi smiled back Ryoko as he took her hand, merging their fingers together in gentle hold. "Like I said before Ryoko, I'm not leaving your side and heaven help the fool that tries to separate us. Besides, you still have to give me my graduation gift."

"Ryoko gave a perplexed look back at her favorite Juraian, "Tenchi, I hit you with the gift as I left the Earth. I don't have it with me."

Tenchi then whipped a white cloth from his back pocket and unveiled the chain bracelet in front of Ryoko. "I have it right here, but I think it's only fitting that you personally place it on my wrist when we get back to Earth. After all, this is my favorite present and you did buy it for me right?

A tear streamed out of Ryoko's right eye, as she couldn't believe that Tenchi was keeping the chain with him until she gave it to him in person and he really did liked it after all.

"Tenchi…I'm so happy to hear you say that. It means a lot to me…"

"There's a lot of things I need to say to you Ryoko, but now isn't the right time. Just get some rest and we'll talk later on and don't worry, I'll be right here sitting by your side."

"Thank you Tenchi…I starting…to feel…better all…already. Now I know…why I…love…you so…" Ryoko fell asleep before she had a chance to finish sentence, but Tenchi already knew what it was.

"And I love you my Ryoko, no matter what happens from now on…"

                                                                        ***************************************

"Docking Control, this is the GP Cruiser Yagami, awaiting clearance from docking bay, over?"  Kiyone manned the controls as she requested to leave GP headquarters and begin their mission to clear Ryoko.

"Yagami, this is Docking Control, you have clearance for departure. Have a safe journey detective."

"Thank you control, Yagami out!" As Docking Control released the magnetic docking clamps on the red ship, Kiyone initiated port thrusters to veer away from headquarters and to move along forward at impulse power. As she sat on her pilot's chair waiting for 'com' panel to indicate the green light to go, Mihoshi entered the room with her usual variety of junk food to pass the time away.

"Mihoshi, didn't you just eat an hour ago? You know I'm not thrilled with you eating on the bridge since you have the tendency to not pay attention to the controls."

"Oh Kiyone, I'm not due to take over the controls from you for at least for another hour. Besides, we're not officially on duty so relax."

"I'm not going to relax until we get to the heart of this conspiracy Mihoshi. Someone either made Ryoko kill Lord Braga or impersonated her. We need to find out who it is. When I jump into hyperspace, establish a secure 'com' link to Washu. I figure by now she'd have some answers."

"You got it partner…" 

After they reached several billion kilometers from HQ, Kiyone jumpstarted Yagami's engines and within seconds the ship disappeared into hyperspace. Mihoshi joyfully place a secured line on their outgoing message to Washu and within a few minutes the screen monitor flashed a sight that neither girls had expected to see…

"Hi girlfriends! How did your debriefing go? Found any clues?"

"Uh, not exactly Washu. Headquarters had initially had us under surveillance, fearing that we were involved with Ryoko, but they cleared us of any wrongdoing. Did you find anything useful on your end?"

"Well it took awhile, but I managed to extract some information from Ryoko's Memory. I'm filtering out the Ryo-oki's memories as we speak, but that's going to take some time."

Kiyone was glad to hear some good news for once, if Washu found any clues to this murder, there's hope for Ryoko yet.

"What did you find in Ryoko's memory Washu?"

"Well, it did confirm that she ended up on Trillian Prime and that she made contact with some of her old pirate buddies. There was one in particular that maybe you should check out. Ryoko called the guy Cullen and it looks like he had some dealings with Ryoko in the past."

"What kind of dealings we're talking about Washu?"

"The usual pirate stuff; robbing, fighting, gambling. From the looks of things, Ryoko may have had a thing for Cullen, but it didn't look like they went very far…"

"You think that this Cullen may have something to do with the homicide?"

"To be honest, I don't think so. From what I see from Ryoko memories, Cullen wasn't the type to double-cross her like that, but he may know who did…"

"Great Washu, Mihoshi and I are just a day away from you. We'll swing by and…"

"Forget about me Kiyone! Just go straight to Trillian Prime and find Cullen. I still need to do some research and the best thing for me to do is stay put. As long as we continue to contact each other with this secure channel, we'll do fine."

"Agreed. Just transmit the data on what you got and I'll project a course to the Trillian star system. Have you heard from Tenchi yet?"

"Nope, Nobuyuki's with me and I've been trying to reach them, but no luck. Guess we'll have wait until they reach Jurai."

Nobuyuki jumped in waving, "Hi Girls!"

"Hey Nobuyuki! How you holding up?"

"Well, all things considered, I'm doing pretty well thanks to Washu." 

Mihoshi entered the conversation after opening up a bag of Drexelan potato chips, "I'm glad you're doing good father, uh Washu? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead…"

"Uh…why are you and Nobuyuki wearing those black fedoras and trench coats? Are you cold or something?"

Both the red head and black haired man smiled sheepishly, but Washu was ready for a comebacker, "We're trying to solve a mysterious homicide here and since we're searching for clues, I felt that I needed to dress the part. Nobuyuki joined in for support."

Kiyone shook her head in disbelief, but then again, it's Washu she was talking to, "Well, whatever helps you Washu, you're the genius…"

"Yes I am a genius, aren't I? Heh-Heh!!" As if on cue, the two chibi-Washus popped up next to their creator, each also wearing a fedora and trench coat. "That's right! Washu is a genius, isn't that right Washu?"  Chibi-Washu A said.

"Yeah, Sherlock Washu is at the case, YEEAAHH!!" Chibi-Washu B jumped in with the praises as well.

Both Police Officers, as well as Nobuyuki nearly fell face first when they saw the spectacle before them. After getting up and dusting themselves off, they returned to the task at hand.

"So here's the plan Washu. While you gather more clues, Mihoshi and I will find this Cullen and if things work out, we'll head the planet Xeria next. I'm sure that we'll find something that can shed light on this." Kiyone figured.

"You might be right, but time is at the essence. Once Ryoko sets foot on Jurai, the government will try to go for swift trial and conviction. Unless Katsuhito and Ayeka can delay them, we need to this fast and quick."

"I concur. Datastream completed and uploaded. Well Washu, we're keep this channel open so call us if anything happens at your end ok?"

"Will do Kiyone and any data you retrieve, just transmit them back to me so I can do an complete analysis, got it?

"Roger that Washu. Take care you guys and we'll see you soon."

"Goodbye Washu! Goodbye father! Don't forget to tape my Space Police, Police Man for me OK?"

"MIHOSHI!! Just forget about that damn show and set a course for the Trillian system willya?"

"Sure Kiyone, but I'm gonna miss my show…"

"You'll catch them on the reruns, now move it!"

"Gotcha Kiyone! Course set for sector 57, the Trillian system. Waiting for course adjustment."

Kiyone gave one last wave to the red haired scientist before the screen returned to normal space viewing. She finally gave the orders to change course, "Course laid in and engage!"

Yagami quickly reversed its engines and changed its course to Trillian Prime. Inside, a sense of hope entered the heart of Officer Kiyone. There were so many things that needed to change the tide of bad luck that had hit this family, but for the first time there was the possibility that the person responsible for Ryoko's predicament will be found.  

                                                                        **************************************

Elsewhere, another ship was secretly en route for Trillian Prime. The occupants inside the black and silver contour shaped vessel were receiving an important communiqué from their employer.

"Osaka! Can you read me, over?"

"Yeah boss, we're receiving your transmission. What's our next assignment?" 

"Continue your present course to Trillian Prime. I have a feeling that certain GP Police Officers will be paying a visit very soon. You need to get there first and tie up any loose ends before they show up, got it?"

"Understood, but what about our collaborator on the planet? He helped us with getting Ryoko, what do me and Oto do about him?"

The voice of the mastermind chuckled when the question came over, and then chuckled back over the line as the order was given.

"What do think you fool? Eliminate him and anybody else that decide to get in our way, understood?"

"Roger, we'll take care of it boss. Osaka out!"

As the underlings signed off, the mysterious assassin sat back on a plush black leather chair and let out a sadistically evil laugh.

"You're mine now Ryoko and if your friends stick their necks out for you, I'm going to enjoy in picking them off one at a time, especially that Masaki boy. HA-HA-HA-HA!!

                                                                        **************************************

END CHAPTER SIX

A/N: 

I think I understand why Nobuyuki doesn't get that much in story material; it's a pain to keep typing his name over and over. lol. 

COMMENTS FROM LAST CHAPTER:

Bobr: Like the hat scene Bob? Thought you would.

Thundergod: Funny you mentioned "the damn ifs", because after the last chapter, I realized I left a lot of clues out there that even I don't know what's going to happen yet. Perhaps I shall consult with the Norns and petition a glimpse or two into the future. The fates can be cruel at times.

My thanks to LedZepFan for his editorial hindsight. I hope I'm getting better.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net 

Later, alighthawk


	8. Looking at a Mystery

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Seven – "Looking at a Mystery"

Trillian Prime…the fourth planet of the Trillian Star System that was about 200 light years from the Earth. A former penal colony of the Galaxy Police, the former inmates of the planet were granted autonomy over 200 years ago when the GP higher ups decided that maintaining a prison planet was too much of a drain on their resources. Therefore it was decided that the lesser serious felons could remain and establish their own society, provided that no major disobedience or uprising occurred.

Within several decades, a pre-warp society was developed as interplanetary trade and commerce became the main source of revenue for the planet's survival. While the GP left the former prisoners to set up their own laws and policing, an orbital security network was created in order to prevent any potential or future hostilities. Within 100 years, the government had proven to be so successful that the orbital network was removed and the Trillians were allowed to conduct their affairs without any further interference. That's when the space pirates made their way into the system and established their own underground network of trade and commerce. The idea was that any pirate could come in and do business on Trillian Prime as long as they kept a low profile and not draw attention to the local authorities, otherwise they would have to _donate_ some of their 'booty' in order to be left alone and to continue to do business on the planet.

Very few pirates had the luxury of staying on Trillian Prime and freely did whatever they wanted to do. Legend had it that thirty years ago a lone pirate ventured into the capital city of Odesso and without warning was attacked by a gang of outlaws who thought the pirate's stolen possessions was ripe for the taking. The gang of twenty men was wiped out within a few hours, some never to be seen again. The legendary pirate in question was Ryoko and whether the story of the battle was true or not, nobody dared to cross the golden eye beauty whenever she traveled to Trillian Prime until recently…

                                                                        **************************************

"Engaging inertia dampers…gate sequencers activated. Hyperspace portal opening up to normal space…what's the ship's readings say Mihoshi?"

"Confirming sensor scans…we are entering the Trillian star system. We're about a billion kilometers from Trillian Prime Kiyone, we should be there in 10 minutes…"

"Good, establish an orbital lock once we get there and start scanning the local satellite network so we can start searching for our suspect." Officer Kiyone instructed her partner as she stood up from her pilot's black vinyl chair and leaned over to find the radio frequency of Washu's contact signal.

The teal haired police officer and her blonde sidekick had traveled almost two days to get to the aqua green planet in order to find the man who might hold the key to Ryoko's memory loss and possible involvement with the murder of Lord Braga. Washu had managed to pluck out the information from Ryoko's subconscious when she returned from her two-week jaunt across the galaxy after her fight with Tenchi. Despite remembering her trip to Trillian Prime with Ryo-oki, she couldn't remember anything in the last week she was gone and neither did Ryo-oki. After the Jurai military took the Masaki clan away to Jurai for Ryoko's trial, Washu finally managed to analyze some of the data and the name that stuck out was a man called Cullen…

"Low orbital path established. I'm having Yagami orbiting around the planet's Polar Regions if that's all right with you Kiyone…"

"That's good Mihoshi! The local authorities shouldn't be able to pick us up since the planet's magnetic field will camouflage Yagami's warp signature." Kiyone was glad for once that her partner did something on her own initiative rather than asking for instructions every five minutes or look clueless.

"So what do we do now partner?" Mihoshi asked as she dipped into her uniform pockets and pulled out a bag of peanuts to snack on.

"Let me contact Washu for any updates and then we're going down to find this Cullen person." Kiyone replied.

The blue-eyed detective then stroked several keys on the communication console and within seconds, a familiar red head appeared on Yagami's monitor.

"Hey guys! Did you get there yet?" Washu asked as she was sitting on her floating chair.

"Just a few minutes ago Washu. Anything new on your end?"

"Yep, I finally completed my analysis Ryo-oki's memory and it appears that our furry little cabbit was 'doped up' as Ryoko was…"

"What do mean they were 'doped up' Washu?" Mihoshi jumped in, curious to hear what the little mad scientist had found.  

"Well, from what I have been able to piece together, it appears that Ryoko and Ryo-oki were drugged about three days before Braga's assassination. From the information I gathered from Ryoko's memory, she was at a tavern having a drink when she blacked out.

"But you didn't pick up any traces of an sleep-inducing agent in Ryoko's body did you?" Kiyone asked as she had Yagami's computers download the information Washu's was sending through the datastream.

"No I didn't, but that was because this took place more than three days before Ryoko came back to Earth so the agent could have worn off and my scanning devices wouldn't have picked it up at the time. However, Ryo-oki's memories had shown that she was in an area just outside the city of Odesso and managed to rummage through a carrot field that she discovered. She must have chowed down at least half the field before passing out…"

"But Washu, what's the big deal with the carrot field? She might have been drugged up elsewhere…"

"Normally I would agree with you Kiyone, but having a carrot field growing on Trillian soil is impossible since carrots aren't indigenous to Trillian Prime. The soil is not compatible with certain vegetation so in order to grow carrots…" 

"Somebody would have to import the type of soil that could sustain the carrots, which means somebody went out of their way to set up that field for Ryo-oki…"

"That's right detective. They knew that it was the one way of getting her guard down since Ryo-oki can't resist carrots." Washu smiled slightly since she now has some ideas of went wrong with Ryoko and her ship.

"But that doesn't explain how she ended up in her ship form Washu. Doesn't Ryo-oki have to be awake in order to transform?"

"That's the part I'm trying to figure out Kiyone, but since Ryo-oki doesn't remember how she changed into a ship, I'm going to have to hack into the Science Academy's database and see if they have any information that might lend us a hand. Ryo-oki's lifeform is not like the average cat or dog you know."

"Data stream completed. Transferring information into tracking cubes. We're all set to go Kiyone." Mihoshi told her partner, but forgotten one minor detail…

"Mihoshi, we got to change into civilian clothing first before we land on the planet. If we're seen in our GP uniforms, nobody will want to talk to us."     

"But I thought we're on the job here Kiyone…"

"We are you bubblehead, but unofficially! Don't you remember what captain Nobeyama said? We are not allowed to be involved with this case since headquarters considers our friendship with Ryoko a conflict of interest. If we get caught or start a raucous because of our position as police officers, we'd both be up shit's creek!"  The teal haired beauty proclaimed as she tried in vain to convey the importance of being anonymous to her ditzy blonde partner.

"Oh great! I can try that new pink blouse I bought last month. Do you know if it's cold down there Kiyone? Maybe I should bring a sweater or something or maybe I can…"

"Can it Mihoshi! This is not a fashion tour we're taking. Just wear something that's not so conspicuous all right?"

"Ok, if you say so Kiyone, but I was really looking forward to wearing that blouse. Sasami said that it would look great with the pair of shoes I bought…"

"MIHOSHI! Just change your clothes willya?!?" Kiyone yelled at her partner as veins were starting to appear at the side of her head.

Washu sat there on her floating seat Indian style. While she found the verbal exchange between the two detectives amusing, she really hoped that the girls could get their act together and find this Cullen person. The longer they delayed in finding whatever evidence was needed to help prove Ryoko's innocence, the greater the possibility that the space pirate may be executed.

_ We're running out of time…by tomorrow, the gang will be on Jurai and more than likely the officials will try to parade around Ryoko like a convicted serial killer. Ayeka will have a say in this, but even she can't go against her people wishes unless she wants to incite a riot. _ Washu was deep in thought as she tried to imagine the possible scenarios that can happen on Jurai, but they almost end up the same…Ryoko being convicted and the true killer remaining free.

"Washu? Hey Washu! Did you hear what I said?" Yelled Kiyone through the video monitor as she tried to snap the little scientist out of her daydream.

"Huh? Oh…sorry about that Kiyone, what did you say?"

_Grrr…I thought Mihoshi was the only absent minded one in the group… _Kiyone sighed to herself as she took both sensor cubes and placed them into two rust colored knapsacks. All she needed to do now was to change her clothing and quietly land Yagami outside the city limits of Odesso as to not have the locals detect them.

"Ok Washu, once we land and find Cullen, we'll relay any information that comes up. I set the com link on Yagami to relay any messages that you send us so we'll be in constant contact."

"Great, once I manage to get in touch with Tenchi or Ayeka, I'll let you know immediately! Well if that's everything, I wish you guys luck and hopefully find some answers to our mystery." Replied Washu and she flashed a small smile at the teal haired beauty.

"Same here Washu…let's hope we can find something to help out Ryoko. I don't want to even imagine what will happen she's convicted…"

"I ain't worry about it girlfriend…just get the bad guy! Washu out." The screen went dark as the communiqué between the women was disconnected. Kiyone had her concerns about the whole thing, but she's been around Washu long enough to know that little red head was more worried about Ryoko than she let on. As the detective began to steer Yagami into the planet's atmosphere, Mihoshi return to the bridge in her civies.

"Aren't you going to change Kiyone?"

"Yeah, but let me land Yagami first and while you're up, go to the supply closet and pull out our GP issued windbreakers would you?"

Mihoshi shrugged her head as she opened up the closet and pulled out two navy blue colored hooded windbreakers. Kiyone thought she needed to conceal whatever equipment didn't fit into the knapsacks. She then instructed the blonde officer to rip out the GP insignias as to not alert any suspicious pirates that might be hanging out in Odesso. As Yagami hovered over the sparse grassland that was 10 kilometers away from the city, Kiyone switched places with her partner as she headed towards her quarters to change. 

"Ok Mihoshi, once you set down Yagami meet me at the cargo bay and we'll take the hovercraft to Odesso and don't forget the knapsacks got it?"

"Got it…uh Kiyone?"

"What is it now Mihoshi?" Kiyone answered as she started to look annoyed, but then she saw the sullen look on Mihoshi's face. Normally Mihoshi would always have a happy expression regardless of the situation, but this time she had that look that even Kiyone couldn't ignore.

"Mihoshi, are you okay?"

"I was just thinking Kiyone…what if we couldn't find this man? What if we don't make it to Jurai in time? W-what if…what if Ryoko get convicted and…and dies?"  * Sniff * 

Mihoshi sat down on the pilot's seat and started to cry. Ryoko may have been rough with her from time to time, but deep down she knew that they were friends, if not family. The thought of seeing her friend executed and leaving Tenchi alone was too much for Mihoshi to take in.

Kiyone, in a rare moment of compassion, went over to her friend and wrapped her arms around her, trying to find the words that would comfort her friend.

"Hey, hey, hey…take it easy partner. We've been through this before and we always got out of it with flying colors. We're gonna find this guy and get what we need. Then we're going to Jurai and help out Ryoko any way we can got it?" 

Kiyone pulled back from Mihoshi so she could see her best friend perk up again. While in a million years she may never understand their relationship, the dark haired detective did admitted to herself that she cared for the blonde even when at times she wanted to strangle her.

"I'm sorry Kiyone…it's just I'm so afraid of what could happen…"

"Mihoshi, try not to think about it all right? I promise that we'll find the bastard responsible for this and bring him to justice, or at the very least leave him to Ryoko's tender mercies when she gets out." Kiyone smirked at the thought of a very rancorous space pirate taking out her anger at the fool who set her up.

All at once the blonde police officer bounced up from the chair and resumed her bubbly ways.

"Ok Kiyone, guess we better get going or we'll never find that guy laying around here right?"

"You got it partner! I'll see you at the cargo bay in ten minutes." Kiyone answered as she gave Mihoshi the 'thumbs up' sign and headed to her quarters. Mihoshi stood there, happy in thought, until she realized that she had to do something with Yagami, _Now what was it that I had to do again? _ The bubbly blonde asked herself while scratching her head. Some things just don't change…

                                                                        ************************************

_"Now let's see…the spectrum analysis from the video surveillance indicates that the person standing before the crowd is Ryoko,_ _but there's something about the way she's standing there that doesn't look right…_DAMN IT, what is it_?!?"_ Washu repeatedly screamed at herself as she labored through the data she collected from Ryoko, Ryo-oki and the videodisc that Azaka presented to her. So far, the results have been less than fruitful, _Enough of this! I need to concentrate at the task at hand. I figured out what happened to Ryoko and Ryo-oki, but still haven't got a clue as to how they ended up in space…_

"Shit, I'm the greatest genius in the entire universe and this thing is stumping me! WHY?!?"  

Washu had spent hours upon hours in her lab trying to ascertain any evidence that could clear Ryoko's name and maybe identify the assailant of Lord Braga's assassination, but the results have been slow and the lack of sleep and stress was starting to show on the little genius' face. She slammed her hands on the large metallic machine, causing the lights on the console to fluctuate and her holographic keypad to phased out. She knew that the answers lied in that videodisc, but the question was where to start. As she leaned back on her floating chair, trying to get her thoughts organized, a friendly face turned around the corner of the lab and greeted her.

"You ok there little Washu? I heard you screaming there for a second. I brought you some lunch if you're hungry…"

"Thanks Nobuyuki, that was thoughtful of you…care to join me?" 

"Sure, why not? I just called the office and told them that I won't be returning to the firm for a few days more. Just thinking about Ryoko is upsetting enough as it is, but not being able to talk to Tenchi and Father is driving me crazy, why can't we contact them?"

Washu raised her left eyebrow, trying to fathom on why _the Saibankan_ hadn't answered her hail. She could only surmise that the ship's captain was under orders not to contact nor answer anyone until they had reached Jurai. Her only question was whether Ayeka, Azaka or Lord Katsuhito was aware of it. Surely, they would have contacted her if they had any leads or maybe they were told that the ship was unable to communicate with her. Either way, everybody was being left in the dark and that wasn't good.

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation Nobuyuki, but I guess we'll have to wait until they reach Jurai." Washu answered  Tenchi's dad as he passed Washu a bowl of miso soup and some greens. "This looks good pops, I see that you're getting comfy around the kitchen again…"

"Well, until Sasami gets back someone has to feed us, otherwise we'd starve, don't you think?" Nobuyuki smiled back at Washu as he adjusted his glasses. He's been so frustrated lately with not being able to know what's happening to his family, but he took comfort knowing that he had someone like Washu to share his pain.

"Did you hear anything from Kiyone and Mihoshi?"

"Just an hour ago. They reached Trillian Prime and are now starting to look for the guy in Ryoko's memory. I just hope this Cullen fellow has the answers we're looking for…"

"You think this Cullen guy had something to do with the murder Washu?"

"If you're asking me if this man set up Ryoko, my answer is no. From what I gathered from her memories, they both knew each other for long time and it looks to me that Ryoko may have had feelings for this guy."

"Feelings? You mean those two were 'involved' with each other?"

"Don't worry about it 'dad', the feelings I'm talking about are those who were comrades for a long time, a pirate bonding so to speak.

I doubt that Ryoko would have come back to Tenchi if she loved this guy."

"Well, that's a relief I guess. I'll leave you to your investigation little Washu, I have to tend the garden now that Ayeka is away. Call me if you need anything…"

"I will and thanks for lunch again." Washu waved at Nobuyuki as he headed back towards the door as the little genius resumed her task of unlocking this mystery.    

Nobuyuki stepped out towards the back of the house and grabbed his gardening gear as he tended to Ayeka's garden. Since their departure, the once lush floral garden was starting to be neglected until Tenchi's dad decided to make the time and care for it himself. The princess would be awfully sad if the garden wasn't properly cared for.

As he stretched out the green water hose and began spraying lightly on the different variety of flowers, Nobuyuki kept thinking of how everyone was doing on the Juraian ship. His thoughts churning on how Tenchi must be going through, being unable to help the woman he loved or the princess who may have to make the most difficult decision of her young life. His thoughts then drifted on the image of Ryoko, the woman most responsible for making this household a lively place to live and who managed to win the heart of his son. As much as he adored the other girls, Nobuyuki was very happy to know that Tenchi had chosen the cyan beauty, even if it meant that he had to throw out some racy photos he took when Ryoko was at the onsen.

Nobuyuki looked up to the sky and started to say a silent prayer for everyone. Then he quietly spoke to the one person he missed the most…

"Oh dear Achika, I feel so helpless right now. I pray that you watch over our boy and our future daughter-in-law, they can be so happy together if given the chance. Please have our ancestors steer our family towards the right path and return them home safely.

I missed you so much dear wife, but seeing our son always reminded me of the wonderful time we shared together and knowing that he will have the same chance with Ryoko reassures me that our family will move on." 

Nobuyuki then removed his glasses as he took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the tears that were flowing freely from his eyes. Somehow, he knew that his long departed wife was watching over everyone and that all will be well…

                                                                        **************************************

_Tomorrow we'll reach Jurai and I'll be home at last…_ Princess Ayeka thought to herself as she looked out the window of her royal quarters and saw the stars twinkling by her as _the Saibankan _made her way through the various star systems in its goal to reach the planet Jurai. While on most occasions the return trip home would be a joyous one, the present circumstances had made it impossible.

Once she reached her home world, she knew that immediately the various groups of military officers and politicians would test her claim to the throne of Jurai; all willing to sway the people into believing that the Space Pirate Ryoko needed to be executed or else they would plunge the planet into civil war. As the time drew closer, the distressed princess wondered how did this ever come to pass? As she adjusted her sash on her teal colored kimono, someone knocked on the entrance door.

"Your highness? It's Azaka, may I enter?" Requested the loyal knight.

"Yes Azaka, please enter…any news from Washu?" The princess nervously asked since it's been almost a week and no one had heard from the diminutive scientist. The First Knight of Jurai didn't answered at first, but Ayeka could tell by the serious expression on his face that something was wrong.

"I have just came from the bridge and it appears that we were 'misinformed' about the radio situation…"

"What do you mean by that Azaka? Was the captain hiding something from us?"

"Well your highness, since we're less than a day from Jurai, the good captain has decided that now was a good time to tell us that the Justice Ministry had ordered him to remain in radio silence throughout the entire duration of our trip home. Their reasons were that if anyone knew that Ryoko was on this ship, they may want to attack it and kill her themselves, plus they were worried about your safety."

Ayeka stood up in total disbelief. How could the Ministry of Justice order such a thing without her knowledge and consent? She demanded answers…

"Azaka, am I to understand that the ministry felt that it was best to keep me in the dark about such matters? Am I suppose to stand here and believe that someone would want to attack a fleet of a dozen battle ships so they can try to take their revenge on Ryoko? What utter nonsense! What did the captain have to say for himself?"

"He was just following orders your highness…"

Ayeka's face was starting to grow red with anger. She swore that she would get to the bottom of this conspiracy when she arrived on Jurai. As for the captain…

"Azaka, remind me when this travesty is over with that I want the captain's command to be transfer another ship…"

"Any particular ship in mind your majesty?"

Ayeka paused for a second until a evil smirk came across her face, "Yes, I believe a garbage hauler would be most befitting for someone as fool hardy as our dear captain and make sure it's one of those delta type II ships…"

"But Princess Ayeka, those ships don't have warp drive nor hyperspace portal capabilities, it will takes months for them to travel across the Juraian star systems…"

"Do you think I'm being too harsh Azaka?"

"Actually, I think you're being very generous. I would of made him haul the garbage himself rather than commanding the ship, but you are Jurai's ruler." Azaka let out a hardy laugh as Ayeka smiled; noting how witty the knight could be when he's not so serious.

It was one of the few times that she was able to laugh or smile during this trip. Aside from the problems with Ryoko and her home planet, there was still the issue with Tenchi that needed to be dealt with as well. As she was coming to grips that she might had lost Tenchi to Ryoko, her heart still ached at the thought of the two of them together. It was this issue that might come into play if and when Ryoko was convicted for the killing of Lord Braga. She considered the cyan pirate her friend, but it doesn't make it easier that she lost Tenchi to her.  

"Princess, are you all right? You seem lost in thought?" The loyal knight asked.

"Yes Azaka, I was just thinking about when we arrive on Jurai what kind of reception we will receive…"

"Not a friendly one I assure you. The other nobles and government officials will be courteous as always, but make no mistake your highness, they will be watching on how you will handle this crisis. Lord Yosho and I agree that it is imperative that you set the tone for these proceedings. Even though you cannot control the outcome of the trial, you can still dictate the pace of the situation before it escalates beyond your control."

Ayeka was pleased that Azaka had confidence in her abilities to handle the circus that was about to fall upon them at home, but she was still feeling anxious over the possibility of deciding over the life of her friend and rival. What would she do if the choice came down to upholding Ryoko's death sentence or feeling the wrath of her people who would feel betrayed by their own monarch? These were decisions that still had the purple haired princess suffering from within.

"Azaka, where is Lord Yosho? I thought that he would be conferring with us before we land on Jurai?"

"Lord Yosho is in his quarters meditating your highness. He wanted to clear his thoughts before beginning the task that lies before us. He will join us when he's ready…"

"I suppose that's a good thing. After all, he did help in writing almost half the laws on Jurai before he abdicated the throne. Perhaps I should do the same also since I been feeling out of sorts since we began this journey…"

"An excellent idea your majesty! By then your mind will be clear and…" *** KNOCK KNOCK** *** …**"Who is it?" Azaka yelled out.

"It's me Tenchi, came I come in?" The familiar voice requested from outside the princess' quarters.

"Tenchi? Uh…yes, do come in" Ayeka reluctantly answered as the doors slid open and the young Masaki entered in his usual brown jacket and jeans. From the look on his face, Ayeka could see how tired and worn out Tenchi looked from being at the injured Ryoko's side since the trip began.

Azaka also noticed the serious expression Tenchi's was wearing, as if something was on his mind and he was ready to tell the princess about it. The knight decided to excuse himself and tended to other matters that needed attention.

Ayeka motioned the young prince to sit down as she moved over to the end of her bed, feeling apprehensive of what's about to happen now. Tenchi had made it clear back on Earth that they needed to clear the air over certain things and that they will talk about it before they landed on Jurai. Tenchi kept his head down as he began the conversation…

"I hope that I wasn't interrupting anything just now Ayeka…"

"No Lord Tenchi, you weren't. Azaka was just giving me the status of our situation before we reach Jurai. How is Ryoko?"

"She's doing better…Sasami came by and brought her some dinner. She's staying with her until I get back…"

"You've been so good to her Lord Tenchi, I-I can see why she loves you so much." Ayeka turned away from Tenchi and stared out in the window, her heart starting to ache once more.

"That's why I'm here Ayeka. I know my timing is awful, but with this crisis hitting us I need to tell you this before things get more complicated." Tenchi paused for a moment, trying to find the right words that would do the least damage to his friend. He then stood up and took a few steps toward the princess who was now trying to brace herself for the bad news.

"Ayeka, please know that I cherish your friendship and I will care for you always. You're a special person and will always have a place in my heart…"

"Lord Tenchi…"

"But the truth is that I'm deeply in love with Ryoko. I've known this ever since the both of you rescued me from Haruna's spirit world, maybe even longer but I never had the courage to tell either of you how I felt." Tenchi stopped to regain his composure, he felt a tear starting to come out of his right eye as tried to continue his heart wrenching confession, "I'm so sorry that it took this horrible tragedy to make me realize that I was hurting everyone by not being forthright with my feelings. I understand the pressure that you're facing right now, but I needed to be honest with you before things got further out of hand."

Ayeka didn't say a word. She knew that this was coming, but it still wounded her to hear that the boy she loved for the last couple of years had chosen another. She tried her best to wipe away the tears that were streaking down on her cheeks as she kept staring out into the passing stars.

"I always suspected…no, I knew that when we came back from Tokyo, the situation between the three of us had changed. Those two times that I entered that dimension with Ryoko, you didn't as much acknowledged my presence. Haruna had you under her spell, but somehow the pirate had managed to reach you, waking you up from the dream as it were. That was why when Washu had told us that only one of us could go back to rescue you, I knew that Ryoko was the only one able to reach out and bring you back."

"Ayeka I…"

"Please Lord Tenchi, let me finish first…" Ayeka finally turned around and faced Tenchi. Her nerves were shot, her eyes reddened by the constant tear flow. She slowly walked up to him and grabbed his hand. "I knew then that you had chosen, even if you didn't know it yourself. However, since you never declared your love for Ryoko, I deluded myself into thinking that I could still win your heart and I willingly allowed the close bond that Ryoko and I had developed to crumble away."

Tenchi's face was sullen as he heard Ayeka baring her guilt and anguish out to him. He was feeling guilty himself for putting the girls through so much pain and grief, all because he couldn't make up his damn mind on telling them his feelings from the start.

"It's all my fault Ayeka, I shouldn't had let this go on for so long. I could've spared us all the pain we endured, especially after what happened at the party…"

"Yes Lord Tenchi, you are partly to blame for all of this…" Ayeka interrupted, "But I could have spared us some pain as well. I could have simply allowed you and Ryoko to find each other and not compete with her. I should have realize Lord Tenchi that you love all of us as your family and that no matter what the circumstances are, you will always be there for us as we are for you."

Tenchi started to cry again as he and Ayeka drew close to each other and gently embraced each other. It wasn't the kind of hug she craved for, but as she felt his strong arms wrapped around her quivering body, she drew comfort that finally they can both be honest with each other and move on knowing that a strong bond still existed between them. The princess could only hope now that her friendship with the cyan girl would survive as well.

Tenchi then drew back as he pulled out a tissue from his side pocket and offered it to the red-faced princess. He felt as if a ton of bricks were lifted off his shoulders now that the dark cloud of guilt had moved on.

"Are you ok about this Ayeka?"

"Y-Yes Lord Tenchi, I'm very relieved that the air has been cleared between us." Ayeka replied, but she still had a sullen look on her face. Tenchi knew that everything wasn't all right the princess.

"Ayeka, what's wrong? Are you still sad over Ryoko and me?"

"No…not that, but you do realize that if things don't work out in our favor I may be forced to decide whether to uphold the death penalty of Ryoko and risk civil war on my planet if the nobles and others were to incite the people. Where will you stand Lord Tenchi if I'm required to choose between my friend; the woman you love, or my kingdom? I cannot bear to make such a decision! How can you and the rest of the family bear to look at me if I were to make such a horrid choice? I-I don't know what to do…"

Ayeka started to cry again as Tenchi took his right hand and lifted Ayeka's face up so she can look at him directly into his eyes. She could never get enough of those warm, soft eyes of his.

"Ayeka…I cannot imagine how you're feeling right now, but know this…I will not forsake Ryoko. I pray that Washu, Kiyone and everyone else can help us find the person responsible for this and make them pay for what they did to Ryoko and for making you suffer like this, but if it gets to the point of seeing Ryoko being executed or war on Jurai, you have to follow what your heart tells you. As the leader of your people, you may have to make a difficult choice and whatever happens I will not hold it against you, but understand that I will do whatever it takes to see that Ryoko is not harmed, even if I have to take on the entire Jurai military. I **_will_**_ **not**_ return to Earth without Ryoko."

Ayeka was taken back by the firm tone of voice of Tenchi. It seems that it took the near death and possible execution of his love to mature Tenchi into a man. Despite the circumstances, she liked what she saw and gave her the hope that if Tenchi had the strength and confidence that everything would turn out all right. She prayed to Tsunami that everything would turn out well.

"I'm glad to know where you stand Lord Tenchi and I apologize for my pessimistic views. I will try to keep good thoughts and not worry about this upcoming trial. With everyone's help and a little miracle from Tsunami, we will overcome this dilemma and return safely back to Earth."

Tenchi smiled after hearing Ayeka's cheery words. "Glad to hear that princess. I'm happy that we had this time to air out our differences…"

"Indeed…by any chance, did you tell Ryoko yet?"

"Uh…no. I just haven't been able to find the right moment to tell her…"

"Lord Tenchi, if you took the time to tell me about your feelings…I think you can do the same for Ryoko. Once we arrive on Jurai, I can't guarantee that you'll be allowed to spend any time with her as much as you have here."

"I know that Ayeka, but it's just I still feel awful about what happened at the party and I want to be sure that when I do tell her, she knows that's it's coming from my heart and not out of pity. I don't want her to think that I'm spilling out my feelings to her thinking that I may never be able to be with her again.  Can you understand where I'm coming from?" Tenchi asked as he scratched the back of his head, letting Ayeka knows that he's nervous about the subject.

"I cannot tell you what her reaction will be Lord Tenchi, but I know that unless you're honest with your feelings with Ryoko, it may be too late. I'm sure she's very frightened right now and the only source of comfort to her is you; telling her how much you love her will help her to cope with all this. It's the very least you can do for her so the sooner the better, don't you agree Lord Tenchi?"

The loving smile on Ayeka's face was all that Tenchi needed to see. She was right, Ryoko was in pain and despair and the only way she was going to get through this ordeal was for him to be honest and loving to her as much as he can. He just told his dearest friend about his feelings towards her so it was only fair that he finally bear his soul to the one person he cherished most in the universe.

"You're right Ayeka, it's time that I stop worrying about what could happen and just act on my feelings instead. Think I'll go to my quarters and get some rest before I face Ryoko." Tenchi said as gave the princess another hug. It felt kind of nice to do this without having to worry about sending the wrong message, but he made a mental note not to do this in front of Ryoko until they were squared away about their situation. Ayeka slightly blushed as the now affectionate Tenchi broke off their embrace.

"I'm very happy for you Lord Tenchi. Let's just hope that we all can reminisce about this when we return to the Earth. I think I shall follow your example and rest until Lord Yosho has completed his meditation."

"In that case, I'll talk to you later. Good night Ayeka…"

"Good night to you as well Lord Tenchi and good luck with Ryoko." Ayeka replied as saw closing the doors behind him. As she went over to her bed to turn over the blankets, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Yes, Tenchi finally admitted that he didn't love her as she hoped he did and there are huge obstacles to overcome once they reached Jurai, but for the first time since this disaster had occurred, Ayeka felt a tinge of hope that somehow, everything would turn out all right. 

As the sleepy princess took off her kimono as changed into her greenish-blue nightgown, she actually felt happy that Tenchi did choose at last and although it turned out to be her rival, the resentment and jealousy that always kept gnawing at Ayeka's soul wasn't there anymore. She knew now that she could be happy for her two closest friends and that someday, when this mess is over, she would move on and hopefully find that special someone that would make her life happy, as Tenchi would do for Ryoko…

                                                                        ***************************************

"Now don't forget where we park Mihoshi, otherwise it's a long hike back to Yagami." Kiyone reminded her partner as they left their red colored PT Cruiser hovercraft in an open-air docking garage. The craft was GP standard issue when officers were traveling through different parts of the planets they were assigned to, but since this town was crawling with pirates, Kiyone felt it was best that they hide it for now and inquire about their target by foot.

"Wow! Odesso is a big city…you think we gonna be able to find Cullen Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked as she surveyed the area and saw nothing but gray and dust covered buildings that have been around for decades without much change.

"Well, we're not going to find him standing around like this. According to Washu's data, Ryoko and her comrades partied in several places during her time here. It would make sense that Cullen would be in one of those taverns so let's start with the nearest one…"

After walking around for a couple of hours, The GP duo finally found one of the locations listed in the database in their sensor cube. It was a rather dingy looking bar, which made Mihoshi cringed as she saw several drunken derelicts appearing to be passed out outside. Kiyone looked up and saw the soot covered name of the tavern: 'Outlaw Blues'.

_A perfect name for a place that Ryoko would run to and drink her sorrows away…why couldn't you be more careful pirate? Don't you know that whatever problems hits you, hits us as well? _Kiyone angrily thought to herself as she pulled out her cube and pressed a side button to flash a holographic mug shot of her quarry.

"Ok Mihoshi, here's the plan…You stay here and try to look normal as I go inside and see if I can get any info on this guy. If by any chance you see him coming or going, give me a holler, got it?"

"Got it, but what happens if he stops by and asks me a question?"

"What are you talking about Mihoshi?" Kiyone reluctantly asked.

"Aw well, y'know…like how's the drinks in here, what time is it or maybe even if I knew any places to eat and stuff like that. I really hope he doesn't ask because I'm really can't answer him…what do you think Kiyone?"

Kiyone had veins sticking out of her sides again, but composed herself before she decided to knock her partner out with a right hook…

"I say SHUT UP AND DO YOUR JOB YOU KNUCKLEHEAD!!! You wasting our time with your constant babbling, you know that?"

"I'm sorry…I just like to be helpful. I guess it's in my nature." The blonde ditz admitted.

"Grrr…well be helpful by hanging out here and watching out for Cullen all right?"

"Uh okay, if you say so…please be careful inside Kiyone, it looks kind of dangerous…"

"I will. Don't worry about it Mihoshi, I be right back before you know it." Answered the dark haired officer as she entered the dimly lit tavern.

The place was unusually quiet for a pirate hangout. Not too many patrons showed up to pay their respects to the establishment, which made Kiyone worried that her target wasn't going to be here. The blue-eyed detective made her way to the bar and waved to the bartender and ordered a drink. As the tall longhaired barkeep returned with her drink, Kiyone pulled out a picture of the suspect, something she printed out before leaving Yagami.

The picture showed Cullen to be a large burly man with long red hair, usually tied up from the back. His left eye was aqua blue while the other was jet black, most likely an artificial implant that would indicate that he lost his real eye in battle. He had a long moustache that filled out to his chin along with a patch of hair just under his lip. The most distinguishable mark he had on his face was a scar that ran from his left ear to his nostrils. Overall, he looked rugged, strong and pleasing to the eyes if one didn't mind the scar, or that's was Kiyone's opinion if she were ever interested in this type of man.

The barkeep studied the photo for about a minute, his left hand scratching his chin and as his right eyebrow rose up, he fired a question back at Kiyone…

"Before I answer your question missy, may I ask why?"  
  


Kiyone quickly came up with an excuse before she blew her cover, "Well sir, I just blew into town and a friend of mine told me if I wanted to hook up with one of the better 'traders' on this planet, that I should ask for Cullen. Does that answer your question?" 

"Almost missy, but I think your explanation plus twenty Galactic credits should answer my curiosity, don't you agree?" 

Kiyone mumbled to herself as she pulled out a Galactic credit card and transferred the twenty credits into the smiling barkeep's transaction machine. After the device flashed a green light, indicating that the transaction was completed, the long dark haired man pointed towards the other side of the tavern as Kiyone strained her eyes and finally saw a large man sitting by himself, covered by the shadows as not to interrupt him as he seemed to be nursing his goblet of Trillian Ale. 

Kiyone slowly approached the man, with her hidden right hand gently on her gun in case Cullen decided to be uncooperative. As she reached the edge of the table, Cullen lifted his head up and saw the beautiful girl that was in front of him. He sensed something was up, so he smiled and decided to play along…

"Hmm…now what's a pretty girl like you doing in a shithole like this? Cullen playfully asked.

"Are you Cullen the pirate? I was told that you might be able to help me inquire some information on a mutual friend of ours…"

"Well pretty lady, I never seen you around here before and I know a lot of people who would like to call me 'friend' so you gonna have to be a bit more specific." Cullen flashed a sly smirk as his left hand went under the table and never moved. Kiyone had a feeling that he was planning to do something drastic if she didn't give a satisfactory answer.

"Well since you put it that way…do you know a woman by the name of Ryoko the space pirate? Cyan colored hair, golden eyes and has a cabbit for company? Maybe this picture would help?"

Cullen looked at the picture that Kiyone pulled out from her knapsack. It was Ryoko in one of her skimpy outfits carrying a portable plasma cannon. She usually used those when she did the high level risky heists that required the heavy equipment. The photo was taken when Ryoko robbed the Bank of Jurai five years before she met Tenchi and the rest of the girls.

As Kiyone pulled back the photo, Cullen quickly reached out and pulled his plasma gun, pointed at the detective's head. For some reason, she didn't flinched and remained calm as she continued to ask the nervous pirate some more questions.

"I take it that you know her. By any chance, you wouldn't happened to be the one that set her up for the murder of Lord Braga of Jurai did you?"

"I have the gun here lady. If anybody is going to ask the questions here, it's gonna be me. Now who the hell are you?!?"

"Take it easy! M-My name is Kiyone and I'm a friend of Ryoko's. I'm just here to find out what happened to her when she was on Trillian Prime a couple of weeks ago. A scientist friend of mine ran some data and your name popped up. She suspects that you had nothing to do with it, but you may have know who it is…"

Cullen kept pointing the gun at Kiyone, but the GP detective still didn't flinched. After a couple of minutes of silence, the red haired pirate pulled his weapon back and sat back on his chair; showing a concerned look on his face.

"I wish I can answer that question pretty lady, but the truth is I'm just as stumped as you are…" Cullen's face twisted in rage as he slammed his fist on the wooden table in frustration. "The night before she disappeared, Ryoko wanted to meet up with me at another tavern across town, but when I got there, she didn't showed up.  I waited for a couple hours, but left thinking that she must have left for some reason. Shit, imagine to my surprise when I saw her face plastered all over Odesso when the Jurai government announced her capture for the murder of that Juraian Lord. I still can't believe it."

"So you don't think that Ryoko didn't commit that murder?" Kiyone inquired.

"I known that she-devil of a pirate for many years and she may be capable of doing many things, but killing a man in cold blood is not one of them. Ain't no fuckin' way Ryoko would butcher a man like that unless her life was in danger and that dear lady is a rarity."

Kiyone was happy to hear that someone other than the Masaki clan believed that Ryoko was innocent. However, since Cullen said that he didn't see the private before she left, she surmised that someone else pulled the stunt before Cullen and Ryoko had their meeting. 

"Cullen, I know we just met, but I think together with my partner outside we might be able to fit some of the pieces to this puzzle, but we have to find out who did this and soon…Ryoko's almost on Jurai and speculation is that her trial will start as soon as she lands…"

"Hold on sec…you already know Ryoko's on Jurai and you have a partner?" If I didn't know better, I say that you're a space cop."

Then Cullen's eyes lit up as he remembered the old news reports from a couple of years ago, "Wait a minute! There was a officer Kiyone of the Galaxy Police that helped out Ryoko and the Royal Family when that phony emperor tried to take over Jurai…are you that cop and is Officer Mihoshi your partner outside?"

Kiyone ran around the table and slid next to Cullen, putting her index finger by her lips, signaling to him to keep quiet, "Could you not say it so loudly? I'm here unofficially and if word leaks back to headquarters that we're here, our careers are ruined…"

"So why are you here Officer Kiyone?"

"I already told you, Ryoko's our friend and we made a promise to our family that we find out who did this and prove her innocence."

"Family huh? She told me all about her new home on Earth and the little family that formed along the way, but she didn't mentioned names…all except one."

"Wouldn't be a boy named Tenchi is it?" Kiyone smirked as she figured Ryoko could keep certain things private, but Tenchi was the one thing that the cyan girl could never hold back.

"Yep, show me a picture of the guy. I wasn't all that impressed at first, but as she kept telling me how he managed to change her ways and away from the pirate life, not to mention defeating that nut job Kagato, I have to say that the kid's ok in my book. Like I said before, I known Ryoko for many years and not one man had ever captured her heart like this Tenchi did. Guy must be special huh?"

Kiyone smiled at the question, "Yes…Yes he is and all of us living together at his house for the last couple of years are better off because of him."

"That's nice to hear, but if he ever makes Ryoko upset like he did two weeks ago, I'll personally come to Earth and rip out his 'family's jewels'…you know what I mean?"

"C-Crystal…" Kiyone meekly acknowledged after hearing Cullen's mild threat. "So I take it that you and Ryoko never got…involved?"

"Like I said before, no man nor pirate could win that girl's heart, but that didn't mean that she valued friendship. It was after that fight here in Odesso thirty years ago that I found her in an alley, alive but badly injured. I could have been a prick and taken her loot for myself, but I saw how she handled those thugs and realized that I may have found a partner for my pirating. I took Ryoko back to my place, along with her little cabbit and nursed her back to health. After two weeks, she was good as new and wanted to split her goods with me, but I refused. That's when I introduced myself and suggested we team up."

"So how did it work out?"

"At first it wasn't too bad. We robbed luxury space liners, branches of the Bank of Jurai, and depositories of the Galactic Union. I was happy as an Ekosian clam and even thought that I was in love with her, but Ryoko was always looking for something more. In reality, it was the excitement and money that kept us going. Eventually, she wanted to go back being a lone wolf, but she also wanted to keep our friendship intact, as did I so we kept in touch over the years as well as the other pirates that helped us out from time to time. 

Kiyone was taken back by Cullen's tale. Other from what she knew from her time on Earth and the official GP criminal history records, she didn't know much about Ryoko's past and most of it wasn't good. She remembered how at first she tried to arrest her when she reluctantly found Mihoshi, but as they learned to live together over the years, she considered the pirate a close friend who would lay down her own life for everyone in the Masaki house. 

And while she never had any romantic interests in Tenchi, she did find the thought of a simple farm boy and a notorious space criminal a strange match. It wasn't until she saw how Ryoko nearly died on their journey to Jurai and her relentless pursuit of Tenchi into Haruna's World that she understood how much the cyan girl loved the young prince. It was only recently that Kiyone began to see Tenchi returning those feelings to Ryoko, even if he didn't knew it himself, which was nothing unusual for him.

As a Galaxy Police officer, she would not approved of these pirates heisting half the universe blindly, however she did admired how some of them carried a code of honor amongst themselves and was happy to know that Ryoko believed in such things. After listening to Cullen, Kiyone knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the golden-eyed woman had nothing to do with the Juraian noble's death and she was more determined now to prove her belief. She decided that now was the time to act and maybe she had an ally in Cullen that could help her achieve that goal.

"Cullen, from what you have told me, I believe Ryoko was set up to take the fall for this murder. However, we need to find out who would benefit the most from her demise. Will you help me?"

Cullen sat there quiet for a second and then let out a hardy laugh that nearly shook the tavern's walls, "Girlie, you needn't ask me twice! Ryoko saved my beacon more than once, not to mention made me rich along the way. I'm at your service…where shall we start?"

"Easy there…the data we retrieved from Ryoko's memory mentioned a bar that had the name of _'Yotaka's Place'._ I suggest we start there…"

"Yotaka's Place? That was where I was suppose to meet Ryoko, but she never showed up…"

"Or she was taken away before you got there." Kiyone jumped in, "Someone drugged her as she waited for you. Have any suspects?"

"Pick a number, but if she was alone when she passed out, the drug may have been in her drink. Who served her?"

"The bartender I think. Big creepy guy with a bald head and an eye patch covering his right eye."

"That's Turk the owner. He's a former pirate who retired years ago, but it's known that he'd do deals on the side if it brings him big money. I wouldn't be surprised if the asshole was paid off to do the dirty deed."

"But is he the type to be involved in a assassination like this?" Kiyone asked.

"No way! The more likely scenario is that his benefactors kept him in the dark; otherwise he might have blackmailed them for more money. He's not there at this time, but tomorrow morning he will be so let's get him then." Cullen suggested. 

"Ok I guess…now all my partner and I have to do is find a place to crash until then…"

"You can stay at my place if you like…"

"Uh…I'm not too sure about that. We don't want to impose…"

"Bull shit! I'm sure you girls are tired from looking for me and besides, you're Ryoko's friends. It's the least I can do. Whataya say?"

Cullen flashed a giant grin that Kiyone couldn't say no to…

"Err…alright, but just until we get this Turk guy ok?"

"Deal pretty lady! Trust me, Ryoko had fun at my place when she visited and I'm sure you and your partner will too…"

_That's what I'm afraid of… _Kiyone sighed as she and Cullen made their way towards the door to get Mihoshi and leave.

_I know it's been awhile for me, but there's something about him that makes me feel so…wait a second, what am I thinking?!?_

The detective blushed at the thought of a seeing the rugged pirate in the buff as they headed outside and found Mihoshi sleeping by an old wooden bench outside the hotel room. Kiyone nodded in utter frustration as she walked over and kicked the bench from under her partner. The blond cop woke up in her usual state of confusion as she landed squarely on her butt.

"I'm up, I'm up! Oh Kiyone…it's you! Did you find the suspect?"

"The 'suspect' is standing behind you blondie…"

Mihoshi turned around and saw this huge presence of a man overshadowing her, totally removing any remains of her quick nap.

"Sooooo I take it that you're Cullen?"

"Give the lady a cigar!" Bellowed the red headed pirate, "So you're Kiyone's partner?"

"Yes I am! Umm…are you under arrest by any chance?"

"No you dimwit! Do you see any cuffs on him?" Kiyone blared out, "But he's think he knows who drugged Ryoko and he's going to help us catch him…"

"Oh great Kiyone! When do we catch him?"

"Not until tomorrow little lady." Cullen jumped in, "But until that time you and your beautiful partner are going to hang out at my place until then and who knows…maybe you can cuff me then and we can…"

"Don't even think about it mister!" Kiyone screamed at the pirate as she stood in front of him, pretending not to be intimidated by his sheer size, "I agreed to stay at your place so we can plan and relax until the morning, not to be a harem for your sick fantasy!"

Cullen looked down at the teal haired officer and laughed, "Your choice sweetie, but you don't know what you're missing…"

"In your dreams pal, now can we leave?" Kiyone answered back and the threesome walked north towards the direction of the hovercraft. Cullen started to whistle as they strolled along while Mihoshi joined in, leaving Kiyone to wonder if she was doing the right thing.

_Great! I have to solve a murder in order to save a friend and my only source of help is my scatterbrain partner and a horny space pirate. _Kiyone sighed to herself as she looked at the motley pair, _Taking on Kagato was easier than this; why me? _

Kiyone looked up at the setting red sun, looking for the answers she knew wasn't coming. Despite the cards that she had been dealt with, she sensed that she was getting closer to the truth and by tomorrow she get to the bottom of this homicide and hopefully find the clues that would vindicate her cyan haired friend… 

                                                                        **************************************

END CHAPTER SEVEN

A/N: Yeah I know, I take too much in spitting out these chapters, but I don't believe in doing a half-ass job and sending it out without feeling right about it, so I ask for your patience. I promise it'll be worth the wait.

Bobr: No, I wasn't thinking of a pairing of Washu and Nobuyuki. It's just that since they're both alone on Earth and 'Nobu' is so clueless of what's happening, it's natural that he'd look to Washu for answers, but hey, it's a long story and things could happen, y'know?

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net 

Later, alighthawk


	9. FinallyI Love You

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

I will be doing some experimenting in this chapter with some song lyrics so please bear with me.

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Eight – "Finally…I Love You"

It's been a half hour since Tenchi left Ayeka's room, free of the burden that had plagued him ever since he was finally aware that he was heads over heels in love with Ryoko. The talk with the princess did some wonders, but soon it would be the moment of truth; he would finally had to confess his love to the former space pirate.

That shouldn't be so hard…should it? I mean I finally told Ayeka how I felt and that went well so why am I so hesitant? Maybe…maybe I still have doubts? 

Tenchi's mind, already having gone through horrid memories of what had happened in the last week or so, was starting to churn out even more discouraging thoughts as he reached his quarters. He had nearly spent the entire voyage by the cyan girl's bedside, not to mention restraining her from trying to escape from the sick bay. As he entered his room, virtually untouched since they left the Earth, he was starting to question whether he had the strength and resolution to see this journey through. He wasn't questioning his love for Ryoko; he knew that he did, but when they arrive on Jurai in less than a day, could he protect her from all the scrutiny and accusations that would be thrown at her when the trial begins? What would he do if this tribunal were to find her guilty of murder?

These were the doubts that kept creeping into the young prince's thoughts…

_NO! I can't think that! There has to be a way to find Ryoko innocent. I know she's innocent…she has to be! _

Tenchi sighed deeply as he threw himself on top of the bed. It was much bigger than his futon back home on Earth, with light blue satin sheets covering over the mattress and the plush pillows that adorned it. As Tenchi tried to gather his thoughts and figure out what was he going to say to his love, the room's video monitor was activated. It came from the sick bay…

"Hello? Oh Sasami it's you," Tenchi's face grew less tense as he began to talk to the little Juraian princess. "How'd you know I was in my room?"

"I just finished talking with Ayeka and she said that you looked tired and were heading back to your room."

"Yes, I meant to ask you if you didn't mind staying with Ryoko for a few hours more so I can get some shuteye, sorry about that."

"Don't be silly Tenchi, I'd be more than happy to stay with Ryoko for awhile longer." Sasami replied with a wide grin. Seeing the happy little blue-haired made Tenchi more relaxed.

"How is Ryoko Sasami? Is she ok?"

"Yeah, She just finished her fourth helping of dinner as we were about to play Old Maid to pass the time anyway and she just finished talking to Ayeka a few minutes ago."

Tenchi gulped as his mind replayed Sasami's last sentence, "She talked to Ayeka? Uh…what did they talk about?"

"Well, Ayeka was really relieved that Ryoko was finally up. Ryoko thanked her, but not much after that. They both agreed that they needed to talk about some things when there's some free time…"

"Oh, okay, I was just wondering Sasami. I hope it's something they can work out before the trial starts because I'm not sure how Ryoko will react when she's finds out that Ayeka may be the one that will holding her fate in the palm of her hands." Tenchi frowned at the thought of two closest people in his life would be at odds with each other over the possibility that one may have to take the life of the other. Tenchi did tell Ayeka that he wouldn't hold anything against her should the princess had to pass judgment on Ryoko, but in reality Tenchi had no clue what his reaction would be if such a thing came to pass.

Sasami, seeing the grim look on her friend's face decided to distract him with something or _someone else_…

"Tenchi, uh Ryoko wants to talk to you…"

"Huh? Oh…uh ok, if she wants to…"

"Yeah Tenchi, _Like she'd say no to that..._ the young Juraian replied as she redirected the video signal to the monitor by Ryoko's bedside. When Sasami said who it was, the cyan girl jumped from her bed and sat right by the side drawer. The cards that she and Sasami were playing with flew up and all over the sick bay as her face and body suddenly became alive with the sight of seeing her precious love once more.

"Tenchi, where are ya? I miss you!" Ryoko cried out with those sad puppy eyes. She traced her fingers by the edge of the monitor, pretending to be making circles on Tenchi's chest.

"I'm sorry Ryoko; I just came back from talking with Ayeka and decided to get some sleep before I went back to the sick bay. Sorry I didn't tell you earlier…" Tenchi replied as he saw that Ryoko was wearing a royal yellow bathrobe, covering the light blue nightgown she was wearing.

"That's ok I guess. I just finished talking to her myself and she was glad I was ok…"

"That's good Ryoko. Did she say when she'd pass by to visit?"

"No…I think there's something bothering her right now Tenchi, like she got a lot of things on her mind."

"Well, that's to be expected Ryoko. After all, she going to be observing your trial and that's not an easy thing to do. She's has an obligation to her people, but I think it's really upsetting her more because she considers you her friend."

Ryoko stared back with a blank expression on her face, not sure of what to think of the whole situation, "Well, Ayeka did say that she wanted to have a talk with me before the circus begins at my trial so maybe we'll clear up some things y'know?"

"_Yeah, I know…more than you ever know."_ Tenchi whispered back at the monitor, leaving Ryoko to wonder what was it that he said.

"So my Tenchi, when are you coming back? I really miss you sweetie!" Ryoko inquired again with those flashing golden eyes blinking rapidly at the monitor. 

"Real soon Ryoko, after I get some sleep. As it is, I need to tell you something important…"

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

Tenchi was about to tell her, but decided that saying it in person would be more appropriate. If he was going to tell his love that he had finally chosen her, he wanted to do so right next to her, holding her closely in his arms and looking deeply into her bright beautiful golden orbs that held so much love for him. Just the thought of tasting her lips was enough to convince Tenchi that he needed to see her face to face.

"Uh, nothing that can wait for a couple of hours longer, ok? Sasami has already agreed to stay with you until I get back so try not to cause any trouble alright?"

"I could barely tolerate being incarcerated as it is Tenchi, but for you I can wait a little longer. Just come back to me soon y'hear?"

"Crystal…I'll see you later Ryoko…"

"See ya Tenchi, _I love you."_

_And I love you my Ryo-chan._ Tenchi said to himself as the monitors went dark.

                                                                        *************************************

A couple of hours had passed and all Tenchi could do was to stare at the room's décor. He thought the sheer exhaustion he had felt since leaving the Earth and wrestling Ryoko back to bed was enough to make him fall asleep, but something kept gnawing at him; something that kept tugging at his heart as his thoughts kept shifting from past moments to the future possibilities that awaited him. All these images kept him restless as the one common denominator continued to stare back at him. An image of a beautiful woman whom he had grown to love since the first day she crashed landed on Earth several years ago.

_This is not helping me at all; I might've as well do something useful before I head off to see Ryoko. _Tenchi mused as he got up from the bed and headed over to the closet. As he slid open the door, he realized that didn't packed his belongings himself, but Sasami. He cursed himself for not taking the time to bring whatever he needed to keep himself occupied as he waited for Ryoko to heal herself from her injuries. As he rummaged through his luggage he spotted a silver metallic device with Washu's initials inscribed on the side.

"A subspace portal! Sasami must've put my stuff in subspace so I could go through it when I had the time. That was very thoughtful of her, but let's see what she packed." Tenchi's nose wrinkled when he began to locate the button or switch that would activate Washu's invention, but grew leery as he recalled the redheaded scientist's other creations that didn't worked out quite so well.

"Let me put this by the bed and get ready to duck just in case…" The young prince smirked as he pressed the small red button that made the square box hummed to life. As he stepped back from the bed, a circular opening began to appear on top of the box and flash of light ensued afterwards which made Tenchi covered his eyes from the sheer brightness. When the light subsided, the young Masaki saw all his electronic games, his sketchbooks, paint and CD sound system was sprawled all over, but nothing seemed to be damaged.

"Cool…a little messy, but none for the worst I suppose." Tenchi said to himself as he began to organize his belongings all around the room. As he picked up his sketchbook, he saw one of his earlier creations from last spring: A chibi drawing of Ryoko and Ayeka duking it out at the front of the house as they played a game of volleyball. He couldn't help himself but laugh as he drew Ryoko's cyan mane really spiky and Ayeka's long ends flying above her head. The game itself was lopsided since Ryoko overpowered the princess, but drawing their facial expressions into a cartoon drawing made his day. He just had to make sure that neither of them never saw it if he valued his life.

_Hmmm…that's a good idea. Maybe a little sketching will calm me down a bit. All I need now is some music and I can begin. _

Tenchi knew exactly what he needed and as he searched through his belongings once more, he found it; a small rectangular black vinyl bag that contained his CD player and his favorite artists…or did it?

"Hey, wait a minute! How did Dad's CDs get in here?" Tenchi scratched his head as to how Nobuyuki's CD collection got mixed with his. Then he remembered that he was showing Sasami the various types of music that could be found on Earth and never had the chance to separate them afterwards…

"Guess Sasami must've thought I like Dad's music too. Not that it's bad, but really, who listens to _Jefferson Airplane_ anymore?"

Tenchi flipped through the discs, trying find something that would fit the mood, something that would take the edge off his nerves. Something that would make him believed that everything's going to be all right. Something that would make him hoped that when this ordeal was over, he would be able to go back home with his family and Ryoko…

_RYOKO… _Just saying her name was enough to make him realized why he was so edgy. As he pictured the image of his cyan love, her golden eyes gazing back at him with such love, he found a CD that his father had downloaded from home.

_"Loving Memories._ Must be something dad put together to remind him of mom." Tenchi surmised, knowing how much Nobuyuki still loved his departed wife Achika. "Wouldn't hurt to listen to it I suppose? Who knows, I might find something that could remind me of Ryoko. It's either this or the _Ryoko Hirosue_ CD from last year. Hmm, _that's a funny coincidence…"_

                                                                        **************************************

                _I was standing all-alone against the world outside_

_                You were searching for a place to hide_

_                Lost and lonely now you give me the will to survive_

_                When you're hungry love will keep us alive_

_                Don'tcha worry sometimes you just gotta let it ride_

_                The world is changing right before your eyes_

_                Girl I found you there's no more emptiness inside_

_                When you're hungry love will keep you alive_

_                I would die for you_

_Climb the highest mountain_

_                Baby there's nothing I wouldn't do_

_                Now I found you there's no more emptiness inside_

_                When you're hungry love will keep you alive_

_                I was standing all-alone against the world outside_

_                You were searching for a place to hide_

_                Lost and lonely now you give me the will to survive_

_                When you're hungry love will keep you alive_

_                When…_

_                When…_

The first song played as Tenchi leaned back against the headboard, taking his pencil and begins to draw an outline that began to take the form of a woman. As the minutes ticked on, the outline became that of Ryoko, lying on the grass, unconscious from her crash with Mihoshi from long ago. Everything happened so fast that day, but the young Masaki still remembered his first look at his love. He remembered as he approached her to help how different she looked from any other women he knew; not knowing of course that she was an alien from outer space.

He remembered how wild her cyan mane looked, the bangs covering her closed eyes. How shapely her legs looked when she had her white dress and red spandex on. As he picked her up to wake her, he barely could contained himself as he kept glancing at her breasts, rising up and down as he tried to wake the space pirate up from her drunken state. Other than her breath smelling like a brewery that day, Ryoko looked to be as an angel who had fallen from heaven. As far as the sketch was concerned, all Tenchi saw was a beautiful woman who had lain to sleep in the forest, waiting to be awakened by a prince.

_Of course, that was way before I knew that I was the crowned prince of Jurai and that other beautiful alien women who entered into my life. _Tenchi reminisced as the images of the alien women: Princess Ayeka, Sasami, Washu, Mihoshi and Kiyone flashed through his mind. Someday he would like to do a sketch of them all, but at this moment all his thoughts were solely on Ryoko.

_                                                                        *************************************_

_I got a reputation_

_                People know who I am_

_                The rules are made to be broken_

_                Can't kill what you don't understand_

_                I see you're running scared_

_                I never knew you cared_

_                Go hide your head in the sand_

_                Been to hell and back_

_                I survived and that's a fact_

_                It's my life-It's my life_

_                And I do what I wanna_

_                Do what I wanna,_

_                Do what I wanna,_

_                Do what I like_

_                It's my life-It's my life_

_                And I'll do what I wanna, do what I wanna do_

_                My New Years resolution is always the same_

_                Gonna do what I like _

_                Gonna do what I want_

_                'Cause it's just my way_

_                I don't live for tomorrow_

_                Cause at the end of the day_

_                I'm gonna shout it from the roof_

_                Better face up to the truth_

_                Don't need an invitation_

_                I don't play hard to get- No!_

_                Well my fame they claim_

_                I can't be tamed_

_                You know it doesn't matter_

_                I swear it's my life_

_                I'll wear what I want_

As Tenchi smoothed out his first sketch, another song began to play. Instantly, another image appeared into his mind. It was the image of the both of them running from the law in the alternate reality that Ryoko created using Washu's time warping device. 

Most of the images that he had experienced with the gang on that long journey was mostly hazy now, but the ones he could still remember were from his time with the pirate. The last thing Tenchi had ever thought was that he would be helping her out in bank robberies and car thefts. Her open defiance to the law nearly had them locked up or even killed, but the way she handled every situation: her confidence, her swagger, and her carefree spirit when they were riding throughout America. He would've preferred a better tour of the country, but those few days they spent together made him start to realize that whatever feelings Ryoko had for him were more than just a crush. The fact that she had created her version of a perfect world and wanted so badly to be able to share it with him brought out a side of Ryoko that Tenchi had never known before.

Even when he scolded her after Washu had found them and returned their memories of their real lives, Tenchi felt some guilt when it was time to return everyone to their dimensional reality. A part of him would've gladly stayed there had Ryoko asked him to. There was really nothing he could had said to her that would had made her feel better, but his gesture with the apple was the only thing he could think of that would her made her understand that everything was cool between them. Little did he known at the time that this was the start of his romantic feelings for the cyan girl. 

Without thinking, Tenchi sketched the image of Ryoko sitting on top of the Ford hardtop they had stolen prior to their arrival to San Francisco. He recalled the sight of her looking at the stars while the wind coming from the bay was blowing her hair to the side, her bangs barely hiding the gaze she shown as she continued to look up at the sky, immersed to whatever thoughts that were going through her mind. The outfit she wore was nothing special, but after reading about exploits of the American gangsters of Bonnie & Clyde, Ryoko played the role of Bonnie well.

_There's so much to Ryoko that I never realized until now. I'm glad Sasami remembered to bring my artwork, otherwise I'd be going up the wall trying to sort things out! _Tenchi thought to himself as he turned the page to begin another sketch of his love. He wasn't sure why he's so compelled to draw his sketches right now, but it was definitely helping him to see things that he normally had a hard time understanding. The words he wanted to say to her were difficult as it was_, _but this method was making him able to bring out the things he saw in Ryoko. The things he loved so much about her and through this he had hoped the feelings and the love he had would finally surface to something he could say verbally to her without having to be so cowardly about it.

_ Hmmm…the lights in here are ok, but the setting is off. I need something a little more subdued, something to remind me more of Ryoko's life, or at least how I see her through my eyes. _

Tenchi picked up his sketchbook and pencils and walked out of his room. Since he was too restless to sleep and the visions of his Ryoko kept dancing in his head, he may as well had gone somewhere on this ship so he could try to connect them to what he was feeling now. As he turned a corner, he almost bumped into a royal guard, which just happened to be the young Lucas.

"Oh, pardon me my prince! I didn't see you coming! My apologies!" Lucas bowed as he still remembered how angry Tenchi was when the soldiers tried to take Ryoko away from him back on Earth. The young Juraian was afraid the prince would not be happy in seeing him again.

"Don't worry Lucas, no harm done. As it is, I'm not paying attention to where I'm going myself so maybe I should be the one apologizing to you…"

"No apologies needed my prince, but it is kind of late, shouldn't you be resting in your chambers?" Lucas inquired, relieved that Tenchi wasn't wielding a sword at him.

"I was in my room just now, but I can't sleep. Too many things on my mind, you know what I mean?"

"I believe so. Once we arrive on Jurai, things will be much more complicated than you could imagine. Were you going for a walk?"

"You could say that. I really want to go someplace quiet and do some drawing; it helps me wind down. You wouldn't know a place like that on this ship do you?" 

Lucas paused a second, his eyes peeking at the page of Tenchi's sketch of gangster Ryoko. There was only one place that would accommodate him.

"Yes my lord. Just take the elevator down two decks and veer right. You will eventually hit the Royal Conference Hall. Only the Royal Family, the Holy Council and the ship's officers are allowed inside, but you shouldn't have any problems gaining access."

"Thank you Lucas, I appreciate your help…" 

"It's my pleasure to serve you my prince and I do wish you well in defending Ryoko. I too have someone back on Jurai whom I love very much and there's nothing in the universe that I wouldn't do to protect her."

"Then you understand…"

"All too well. I may be young, but I learned as a soldier that life can't be taken for granted, love even more so. I have my duty to perform my prince, but it doesn't mean I have to agree with it."

Tenchi smiled as he placed his hand on the young Juraian's shoulders. If some of the people on Jurai would see things the way Lucas could, then perhaps there's hope for Ryoko after all.

"Thanks again Lucas, I'll remember to speak kindly about you to Azaka. I'm off then…"

"Be well my prince and good luck."

Tenchi followed Lucas' directions until he saw two huge oak doors that guarded the entrance to the hall. There was a flat black screen pad on the right side, just large enough to place a hand on it. Tenchi surmised the genetic DNA codes of the higher rank Jurai officials and the Royal Family could unlock the doors. Carefully, he placed his hand on the screen as a red beam of light scanned it. Within seconds, the sounds of internal locks were churning and the doors swerved slowly to open.

The hall looked cavernous. Tenchi wasn't sure if it was really that big or was it due to the spacious ambiance it presented.  The center had a huge oblong wooden table, for important gatherings he surmised. The right side of the room had several paintings of the Royal Family hung up; the one closest was a portrait of Ayeka sitting on a royal chair, looking regal with Sasami standing by her left side, with her childlike smile. As he strolled further into the hall, Tenchi saw the left side was all windows; the stars streaming by as the ship continued to move at warp speed.

The young Masaki saw what looked to be a big black leather couch facing the window and thought that was the perfect place to continue his sketching. He sat down, feeling how soft and comfortable that couch and pulled out his pencil to draw.

_This couch is **really **comfortable! I could probably fall asleep with no problems, but that's not what I'm here for. _Tenchi reminded himself as he gazed out into the stars, looking for more answers. _ The stars! This is where Ryoko is so happy. She always looks so free when we're out here. _

_                                                                        **************************************_

_She's got a smile that it seems to me_

_Reminds me of childhood memories_

_Where everything_

_Was fresh and as the bright blue sky_

_Now and then when I see her face_

_She takes me away to that special place_

_And if I stared too long_

_I'd probably breakdown and cry_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Sweet love o' mine_

_She got eyes of the bluest skies_

_As if they thought of rain_

_I hate to look into those eyes_

_And see an ounce of pain_

_Her hair reminds me a warm soft place_

_Where as I child I'd hide_

_And pray for the thunder_

_And the rain_

_To quietly pass me by_

_Sweet child o' mine_

_Sweet love o' mine_

_Where do we go_

_Where do we go now_

_Where do we go_

_Sweet child o' mine_

Once more Tenchi picked up his art book and began to draw. Seeing the stars had reminded him of their perilous journey to Jurai when they had to face Kagato. The most striking image of that whole adventure was seeing Ryoko in her red and black battle outfit. It was a bittersweet memory, remembering the one lasting image of her being injured with blood seeping out on the side. He was so overcome with joy when she returned to Earth, after being away for so long and not knowing what happened to her. While he still wasn't too sure how he felt about the space pirate, he knew for sure that he could never envisioned his life without her.

He allowed his sub-conscious to form a more pleasant image of Ryoko with her form fitting battle outfit. With Ryo-oki at the background in her ship form, Tenchi envisioned his love floating in mid-air, wielding her red light sword to her side while motioning him with her outstretched fingers to come towards her. With her fangs slightly showing from a wicked smile, it was her seductive way of saying '_Come and get me if you can!'_

The image had Tenchi getting hot all of the sudden. _Sometimes I'm amazed at how sexy she can be! She can be so dangerous and tempting all at once! What she sees in me is still a mystery. _Tenchi sighed as he turned the page as more images began to appear to him.

                                                                        ***************************************

_Though I've tried before to tell her_

_Of the feelings I have for her_

_In my heart_

_Every time that I come near her_

_I just lose my nerve_

_As I've done from the start_

_Every little thing she does is magic_

_Everything she do just turns me on_

_Even though my life before was tragic_

_Now I know my love for he goes on…._

_Do I have to tell the story_

_Of a thousand rainy days since we first met_

_It's a big enough umbrella_

_But it's always me that ends up getting wet_

_Every little thing she does is magic_

_Everything she do just turns me on_

_Even though my life before was tragic_

_Now I know my love for her goes on…._

_I resolved to call her up a thousand times a day_

_And ask her if she'll marry me _

_in some old fashioned way_

_But my silent fears have gripped me_

_Long before I reach the phone_

_Long before my tongue has tripped me_

_Must I always be alone?_

_Every little thing she does is magic_

_Everything she do just turns me on_

_Even though my life before was tragic_

_Now I know my love for her goes on…._

_Every little thing_

_Every little thing_

_Every little thing she do is magic, magic, magic…._

_It's a big enough umbrella_

_But it's always me that ends up getting wet_

Time seemed to roll by as Tenchi kept tracing, erasing, redrawing the different aspects of Ryoko's personality that he had seen throughout their time together back home. He shook his head in dismay, wondering why it was only now that he was realizing how special she was to him. As if for the first time, his eyes were truly open and they're seeing her for what she really was. 

He had drawn a sketch of Ryoko perched on top of the balcony that was once Haruna's apartment in the spirit world that she had created using Tenchi's Jurai power. Aside from looking dingy and seeing her jeans and jacket all dirty, she looked so weary and tired from her constant search for him that lasted nearly half a year. The expression on her face was so overcome with joy and relief, yet Ryoko's eyes still had the same loving gaze she always had whenever she looked at Tenchi. For a few moments, as with the alternate universe, it was just the two of them and had she asked him to stay with her forever, he might had said yes…

_It was there! _Tenchi kept telling himself, _It was there that I knew for sure that I was in love her! Damn it, why didn't I tell her right there and now? Why couldn't I just for once run with my heart and tell her how much she meant to me, rather than thanking her for saving me and understanding me how I feel? Damn it, I am so fucking stupid sometimes! _

In a fit of anger, Tenchi flung the sketchbook at the window, totally disgusted with himself; angry because of all the lost time that had passed because he put his feelings, as well as Ryoko's aside so that he wouldn't hurt Ayeka and the other girls. Afraid that his selfish decision would cause a rift within his adopted family.

_Grandpa was so right… _Tenchi sighed as he recalled the advice of what Yosho said to him just before this whole disaster had begun: _"I can't speak for the girls, but I don't believe that they would leave if you suddenly decide to choose. They love you because you ARE their family. As long as you make the choice with your heart and be true to them as you always have, they'll respect your decision."___

 

_Such a simple choice when it all comes down to it, but I had to wait for a catastrophic event to make me see that. _ Tenchi kept scolding himself mentally as he went by the window and picked up the book, finding the page that he had left off. As he sat back down to draw, he wanted created an image of Ryoko that he had never seen before, something that would make him so happy if could be able see it at this very moment….

                                                                        *************************************

_Now, what could I imagine my Ryoko in that I never seen her do or…or maybe **seen her in? **_

****

Tenchi once again began to draw the outline and rounded curves that made up the cyan beauty's physique. He then worked his way up to her angular face, highlighting her high cheekbones and creamy complexion and then having her long cyan mane flair out to the sides. He took great pain in constructing this picture as he rounded out her full lips, showing a bit of her fangs as she smiled. His fingers moved to complete his design by showing off her eyes, which he felt were the one thing he found the most attractive about her. He only wished that he could've brought some watercolors to really highlight those golden orbs of hers.

He put the book down on the side table for a moment, staring at his creation. Other than imagining her naked, which was still hard to do without getting a nosebleed, what was this picture missing? Other than Ryoko, who was the only other person in Tenchi's young life that he felt so strongly about? Who in this universe could invoke such strong emotions within him? Suddenly the answer struck him…__

A few minutes later, his creation was finished: An image of Ryoko dressed in Achika's wedding kimono. He let his mind envisioned his love walking towards him by the lake during a clear autumn day, seeing tears of joy streaming down from her cheeks despite the traditional veil that was draped in front of her. As she finally stood beside him, he reached out with his shaking hands, lifting the veil to reveal a sight that he had craved so long to see.

Finally…Tenchi, not Ryoko, leaned forward to taste his beloved's lips, a sensation he had only dreamed about, but denied himself out of stupidity. He did kiss her when she was asleep in the house before they left to Jurai, but it just wasn't the same. This felt so real…so right…

_Finally, I know now what I want! All that I needed was standing before me all this time and I couldn't see it! I don't what I'm going to do once we get to Jurai, but right now there's a big void in my heart that I haven't allowed myself to heal because I kept my distance from her, but no more… _

_**So what are you waiting for? Go to her you fool or were you planning on waiting for her to get out of jail? **_A loud inner voice was screaming inside Tenchi's head, lifting a dark cloud from the inner core of his psyche. There was no longer a doubt of how he felt and what he needed to do. 

Tenchi looked at his clock. By Earth's time, it was about 3 a.m., which meant that Ryoko and Sasami might be asleep, but he didn't care anymore. All he wanted to do right now was to go to his love and pull her close to him, professing all his love to her. Within seconds, Tenchi bolted out of the hall and headed straight towards the elevators. He couldn't wait any longer.

As the seconds ticked off, Tenchi finally made his several decks below to where the sick bay was located. He was thinking about finding an excuse to tell Sasami when as he turned the corner, a familiar face was guarding the doorway…

"Azaka! What are you doing here?" Tenchi asked so surprisingly as he approached the elder knight.

"Well, I was at the bridge reviewing all incoming the transmissions when the princess summoned me." Explained Azaka as he began to unlock the door. "Since you had mentioned that you were going to retire in your chambers for a few hours, the princess had asked me if I could spell her for a brief time while she went to the galley and prepare some food for Ryoko. I willingly agreed and dismissed the guards when I arrived. I thought it would be best if I left Ryoko alone to her thoughts…"

"That was very kind of you Azaka. I was in my room, but I couldn't sleep at all so I spent much of the night drawing…"

"I see young prince and be the looks of it, you was very much preoccupied with one thing in mind, eh?" Azaka smirked as his eyes skimmed the sketching of Ryoko in the wedding kimono. "I take it that you wish to see her now?"

"Very much so Azaka. Would it be too much trouble if you could contact Sasami and tell her to wait awhile? I need to say something to Ryoko in private…"

"Not at all Tenchi, should I tell the princess to come back in let's say…several hours?"

Tenchi noticed the wink the knight gave him, letting him know that he would not be disturbed for a while. He humbly bowed to old warrior and thanked him as he waited for the sliding doors to open and revealing to him his loving Ryoko, lay back against the headboard, watching old Juraian soaps on the ship's monitor.

"Tenchi!?! Whatcha doing here? I thought you went to bed? Ryoko asked as she leaned forward, happy that her love came to see her.

"I did…well I tried, but I just couldn't sleep so I spent much of the time thinking and drawing…" Tenchi answered as he gave that sheepish expression whenever he had to answer a uncomfortable question, _Don't start to get cold feet now Masaki! You need to do this and she deserves to hear it! _

"And what exactly were you thinking about that kept you up all night _hmmm?" _Ryoko asked as a sly smile began to form around her mouth, testing to see how Tenchi would react. "Usually, you don't sketch unless you're preoccupied or something is bothering you; so what is it?"

_NOW YOU FOOL!! TELL HER NOW!! THIS IS WHAT YOU HAD BEEN WAITING FOR ALL THESE YEARS!! TELL HER!! _ His mind reeling from anticipation, his heart racing, Tenchi stood there quiet for a moment as his fingers rubbed against the rough texture of his art book. As Ryoko's question began to sink in, he snapped out of his trace and sat down next to her, brushing his leg against her bare thigh. Instead of replying, he merely handed over his work for Ryoko to look at.

Ryoko's left eyebrow was raised, as she looked momentarily confused of what Tenchi was handing over to her. As she gazed down to view his handiwork, her eyes widened with astonishment. Page after page she saw different aspects of herself through Tenchi's eyes, perhaps even his heart. She always knew Tenchi had liked to draw her, but never in such grand detail, as if he took such painstaking care of how each pencil stroke was perceived. She was even amazed of the sketch he made of her in the bikini she wore at the swimsuit competition during their journey to Jurai.

_Well at last I know he was paying attention to me at the time. _Ryoko mused to herself as she turned the page to her image in her black and red skintight suit, smiling as she couldn't believe her Tenchi would see her in such a devilish, yet playful pose. Tenchi still hadn't said a word yet, but by the way she was reacting to his sketches, he was sensing that his message was starting to get across.

Finally, a gasp came out of Ryoko's mouth as she finally turned to the last page, revealing herself in Tenchi's mother wedding kimono. Tears of joy began to swell in her eyes as she put down the book as gazed upon her love, needing to know why he did this.

"T-Tenchi…this is so…wonderful. I never knew you ever saw me like this. I'm very flattered, but this last sketch; this is a wedding kimono ain't it?"

"Yes it is. My mother's to be exact…"

"Your mom's?!? You envisioned me in your mother's wedding kimono?!? I-I don't know what to say…I mean the others were pretty cool, but this last one you did; why did you draw it Tenchi? Does this mean that…_mmrrphh??_"

Before Ryoko could finish her question, a pair of warm soft lips touched hers. Without having to utter one word, Tenchi had finally answered the question that had been burning in Ryoko's soul for so long as a flood of emotions began to overcome the two of them. From a sense of relief to joy to sheer ecstasy, the two star crossed lovers were feeling a sensation that neither could ever imagine would happen to them. Is as if a barrier had been finally battered down. Tenchi finally pulled back reluctantly, feeling the urge to finally release whatever childish insecurities had been plaguing him from within…

"Ryoko…I know my timing stinks, but this was something that I should had said to you a _very long time _ago. I let my indecisiveness get the best of me, but no more." Tenchi looked straight into Ryoko's tear drenched face as he uttered the words that the cyan beauty had been praying for so long to hear… 

"Ryoko… **_I LOVE YOU. _**_I'm madly in love with you and I'm so sorry for waiting this long to tell you…"_

_"Oh Tenchi, I…"_

"Let me finish please…" Tenchi softly pleaded as he laid his right index finger on Ryoko's lips, feeling a slight tingly sensation as he felt the moisture, compelling him to taste them once again.

"Ever since we left Haruna's world, I knew that I loved you, but I was too immature in handling it. Between that and my worrying about hurting Ayeka and the others made me a coward in telling how I really felt about you. You could never imagined how much I enjoyed our time together, sitting by Funaho at night and just letting all my worries go away, even for a few hours. It was near my graduation party that I made up my mind and promised myself that I would finally confess my love for you."

"Those nights by Funaho were precious to me as well my Tenchi. Even if I didn't get what I wanted at the time." Ryoko confessed back to Tenchi, still overcome with sheer happiness. "But I felt that by being a friend at your time of need, I'd hoped that you could've see me for what I really was."

"I knew that already Ryoko, as far back when you helped me against Kagato. I shouldn't have taken your love for granted…"

"You did what you had to do Tenchi as I did. It was my love for you that made me go back and rescue you from Haruna. It was that same love that made me want to leave the pirate's life and try to settle down." Ryoko reached and cupped Tenchi's face as she tried to convey her inner most feelings to him, trying to make him understand that everything's in the past now. 

"Now…having you here, sharing with me your lovely portraits and telling me that you finally love me; it feels like all my prayers have been answered my darling Tenchi. I have everything that I want right here and now…"

"Really Ryoko?"

"Well, I would prefer to be back home on Earth sharing the Onsen with you right now, rather than being locked and being hauled away to prison, but beggars can't be choosers…"

Both lovers broke out in laughter, as the tension between the two had been broken. Ryoko pulled Tenchi close to her, whispering something in his right ear…

"_And right now, I want to make love to you…"_

"Now? In the sick bay?"

"Tenchi my darling, by this time tomorrow I'll be in a cell on Jurai waiting for my Trial.  Your faith in me is the only reason that I haven't tried to break out of here, but let's kid ourselves shall we? If Yosho and Washu don't come up with something soon, it may be a long time that I'll ever see the light of day or even be exceuted…"

"RYOKO! Don't say that! We can still…mmph?"

Not wanting to hear another word, the cyan beauty pulled Tenchi into another passionate kiss, feeling her body quivering at the sensation of tasting his lips once more. Ryoko didn't want her Tenchi to start feeling negative about their dire situation. This was their moment and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it. Sadly, she pulled back to explain her reasons…

"Nothing's certain anymore my wonderful Tenchi. In my former occupation, we just lived by the moment, not knowing where we'd end up. Right now, I would say that we're in a similar situation and I want to enjoy every possible moment with you. You can't for certain what's gonna happen on Jurai sweetie and once we're there, we may never get this chance again…"

Tenchi was about to say something when he suddenly saw Ryoko's face getting becoming sullen.  He was now realizing what the pirate was getting at as she continued to speak.

"I know that I might be going a little fast for you, but understand that after tonight, there's the possibility that we may never be together again and if that's was to happen, I want to remember this night for the rest of my life. It's not the ideal place for having sex with the one that you love, but I don't care Tenchi. I love you so much and this may be my only chance to express that love to you. Please Tenchi…let this be _our time."_

Tenchi froze for a second, taking in what Ryoko had said. He remembered his father telling him once that time is such a precious commodity, that it shouldn't be wasted so recklessly. There will be moments that will come and go before we had a chance to act on it and when that moment comes, we must seize it and make the best of it.

It was at the anniversary of his mother's death when Nobuyuki said those words. At the time, Tenchi was too young to appreciate what his father was trying to convey. Now with the love of his life sitting besides him, wanting to consummate their love and not knowing what the immediate future would bring, his mind was clear of doubt.

"You're right Ryoko. Together, we'll figure out a way to prove your innocence on Jurai, but right now it's our time, our moment together and while I'm not an expert in having, uh…"

"Sex?"

"Uh yeah, but nothing would make me happier than having my first "experience" with you. Hope you understand I'm a little nevous…"

"Gotta start somewhere Tenchi, but I promise to be gentle. After all, if I do get out, I'd need to save you for our wedding night…hahaha!"

"I see your spirits are up Ryoko. That's one of the things I love about you…"

"As I love you my Tenchi." The pirate replied with a sly grin as she stood up and began to disrobe herself, revealing her sensational body to Tenchi, who was mildly surprised that his nose didn't start to bleed.

"Ryoko…you're so beautiful…"

"Thanks for noticing. Say Tenchi, what about Azaka? Won't he be able to hear us?" Ryoko asked as she slid beside the nervous prince and began to loosen his pants as he threw aside his jacket.

"He's a Royal Knight Ryo-chan. Even if he hears anything, he's bound by oath not to divulge anything. It pays to be a prince now and then huh?"

"Yes it does. _Hmmmm…_I see someone's happy to see me." Ryoko said as she pulled down Tenchi's pants, revealing his boxers with a huge bulge appearing. "Well, Azaka's gonna need some earplugs cause for the rest of the night, I'm gonna make you sweat and moan and when I'm done with you, half the universe would had heard us scream!"

Tenchi gulped quietly and braced himself, as he lay back on top of the medical bed and allowing Ryoko to slide on top of him, her hands reaching down where no woman had gone before…

HOURS LATER…

Azaka marked the time by formulating several possible scenarios in his mind, trying to predict what would happen once they reached Jurai. From the corner of his left eye, young Lucas was making his way towards him, with a bewildered look on his face.

"Yes Lucas, what is it?"

"Uh sir, don't you hear that?"

"What?"

"All that loud moaning coming from the sick bay sir, can't you hear it?"

Azaka slapped his head, realizing he forgot he had put on a pair of earplugs the moment he heard Tenchi and Ryoko go at it. He wasn't all that comfortable hearing one of the Royals constantly yelling out several Earth deities in succession.

"Lucas…as far as you're concerned, you didn't see anything nor heard anything. Am I clear?"

"But sir…"

"AM I CLEAR?"

"Yes sir! Crystal! Should I notify the guards that you would be assuming their posts this morning?"

"Please do. Also, tell the Princess Sasami that Ryoko won't need breakfast for a few hours longer. The prince is…helping her '_relax'._

"Uh yes, I shall attend to it…_That sort of 'relaxing'_ _could leave the poor prince in traction by the sound of it. _Lucas muttered to himself. "Good evening Azaka…"

"Good evening to you Lucas, remember what I said." Azaka reminded the young Juraian as he move his head in acknowledgement, leaving the old warrior to resume one of the most delicate duties he would have to perform.

"What I wouldn't do for an enemy attack right now." Sighed the loyal knight as sounds of pure ecstasy continued to seep out into the empty corridors for the rest of the night… 

_Well, there was no reason to believe she'd always be there_

_But if you don't put faith in what you believe in_

_It's getting you nowhere_

_Cos it hurts, you never let go_

_Don't look down, just look up_

_Cos she's always there to behind you, just to remind you_

_Two hearts, believing in just one mind_

_You know we're two hearts believing in just one mind_

_Cos there's no way to, to understand it_

_There's so much of my life in her, and it's like I'm blinded_

_And it teaches you to never let go_

_There's so much love you'll never know_

_She can reach you no matter how far_

_Wherever you are_

_Two hearts, believing in just one mind_

_Beating together till the end of time_

_You know we're two hearts believing in just one mind_

_Together forever till the end of time._

_She knows (she knows)_

_There'll always be a special place in my heart for her_

_She knows, she knows, she knows_

_Yeah, she knows (she knows)_

_No matter how far apart we are_

_She knows, I'm always right there besides her._

_We're two hearts…_

_                                                                                                ***************************_

END CHAPTER EIGHT

A/N: This will be the last time I apologize about taking so long to post because to be honest, I can't say when the next chapters will be coming. Again, the chapter was more or less an experiment for me in mixing up the story w/ lyrics so I hope this was to your liking, but just in case I got my firewall ready so take your best shot. Be warned, I will do this again towards the end of the epic. Also, I wasn't sure on whether to break the songs into segments or leave them as is, but since I was in a rush to post, I choose the latter. As for the songs they were:

'Love Will Keep Us Alive' by the Eagles

'Sweet Child of Mine' by Guns -n- Roses

'It's my Life' by KISS

'Magic' by the Police

'Two Hearts' by Phil Collins

I would like to thank my chatroom compadres Malena, LedZepFan and ThunderGod for their feedbacks. I'm always amazed of what you guys dream up for your stories; hopefully my stuff is up to par.

Space Pirate Minagi: You're right. Ryoko has a point, but when Ayeka was almost caught they knew where to go. If they had knocked off Azaka and the other soldiers, where would they get the info of the situtation? As it is, they still don't know who the mastermind is or where he/she is. There's also the bigger picture to think about. If Ayeka takes Ryoko's side on a murder charge, her ascension to the throne is compromised. There are really a lot of little subplots to sort out before the gang can find out who the baddie is so stay tuned.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verison.net

Later, Alighthawk


	10. Pirate Confessions

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter Nine – "Pirate Confessions" 

ODESSO PERFECTURE, PLANET TRILLIAN PRIME...  

An hour had passed since detectives Kiyone and Mihoshi found Cullen the space pirate who was a close confidante of Ryoko from their pirating days. After their shaky first contact, Cullen took a liking to the girls and decided to help them out in trying to apprehend the culprit who was responsible in setting up the cyan space pirate. Quietly they left Odesso in order to reach their next destination: Cullen's hidden lair.

As they rode on the PT Cruiser Hovercraft, the road they took led them from outside the city limits to a desolate area. As Kiyone visually scanned the area she saw only sparse plant life, abandoned brink houses, burnt twisted metal that resembled traveling vehicles that looked to be destroyed long ago and virtually no sign of animal life. She concluded that the area looked so deserted due to some fierce battle that occurred years ago. 

"Cullen! What is this place? You said that we were going back to your hideout!" Kiyone shouted at the redheaded pirate as she slowed down the red colored hovercraft to a halt. "You better not try anything funny…"

"Relax Officer Kiyone, just go down this road for another kilometer and make a right on a dirt road. From there just continue on until we see a old tree stump and I'll take over from there." The burly giant replied. "Trust me, I want to get the bastard responsible for Ryoko's predicament as you do. "

After hearing the data that Kiyone had attained from Washu, who managed to retrieve it from Ryoko's subconscious, Cullen was more than willing to assist the GP officers and after listening to what Kiyone had told him at the bar, the pirate had determined that the one person who would be mixed up in this conspiracy would be the tavern owner of _'Yotaka's Place'; _a man by the name of Turk… 

"_Turk_…when I get my hands on that prick, I'm gonna ring that fuckin' guy's neck for what he did to Ryoko!" Cullen bellowed out as the thought of his friend being framed for murder had him totally enraged.

"Now take it easy Mr. Cullen. You did say that this Turk fellow would be at the bar in the morning so let's just relax until then." Detective Mihoshi meekly interrupted the pirate's ranting, "Besides, I really would like to see your hideout since you promised a tour of it…please?"

"Mihoshi! We're not here as tourists so stop badgering Cullen. When morning comes and we gotten our rest, we're going to Yotaka's and confront this Turk. If he has anything to do with Ryoko's disappearance a couple of weeks ago, we'll find out."

"Good for you Detective Kiyone and when you do, I'll personally see to it that Turk gets his under the pirate's code…"

"Pirate's code? What that?" Kiyone inquired, trying to remember such a thing.

"That, pretty lady is our way of dealing with scum like Turk who don't abide by the rules. On Trillian Prime, a pirate can go about their business providing they don't attract the law into this sector. Should another pirate help any law official in capturing another pirate, that fool is brought to our 'justice system' and believe me, it's a lot more severe than what you GP guys can think of…"

_And I hope I never find out… _ Kiyone cringed as she thought of what kind of punishment these criminals would bring upon their own brethren. After seeing Cullen enraged and remembering how Ryoko would blow up when provoked, she shuddered to think what would happened if those two took their anger out on Turk. _I think I'm starting to feel sorry for this poor fool…almost. _

Several minutes later, the trio had reached the dirt road that Cullen had described to them and continued on to the old tree stump. Mihoshi couldn't help but noticed that the area was still so desolate. The other surrounding areas around Odesso weren't so dead as this dreary place. With a perplexed look on her face, she timidly asked Cullen another question:

"Uh, Mr. Cullen? I couldn't help but noticed that this part of the planet is kind of void of life. Why is that?"

"Remember when I told you how I met Ryoko?" The pirate's face grew serious as he began to reminisce that particular time long ago…

"You see all those burned out houses and vehicles? It was here thirty years ago that Ryo-oki landed and her mistress, the infamous space pirate Ryoko decided to trade in her latest heist. These old ruins used to be illegal trading posts that the Trillian Government never bothered to check on so many pirates and other criminals came here to exchange their ill-gotten booty; including yours truly."

"So what happened that caused the traders to leave here?" Kiyone joined in, her curiosity now piqued by Cullen's tale.

"As the story goes, Ryoko had hauled in a large booty from some Juraian transport and when word got around the prefecture, this gang of thirty or so men decided to ambush her. Now I was in Odesso at the time, but even from 60 kilometers from the city limits, I saw the energy blasts that the she-devil and Ryo-oki were putting out. About several hours later, when the local officials arrived at the scene, the whole area was reduced to what you see here. Luckily no civilians were killed…"

"But what about those raiders who attacked her? What happened to them?" Kiyone continued to inquire as they finally reached the old tree stump. "The reports that were sent to GP Headquarters were incomplete and nobody bothered to investigate further since the Trillian government didn't request any assistance."

"Well, the official report stated that it was a waste disposal ship that crash landed. The crash ignited a fireball and radiation from its compartments ruptured, causing the immediate area to turn into what you see today. The truth of course was that Ryoko formed her energy sword and slaughtered the whole crew when they tried to surround her. The ship that crashed was the raider's as the pilot tried to take on Ryo-oki. They totally underestimated her, being that she was young and a woman. If memory serves me right, only one raider survived the massacre…"

"One survived? Whatever ever happened to him?" the teal-haired officer looked back with astonishment. As she stared back at Cullen, her detective skills were at work, trying to ascertain on whether the incident thirty years ago may have some connection to what was happening today. 

"Y'know it's funny. Witnesses said they saw the pilot climbed out of the wreckage and scampered off, as Ryoko was finishing off his comrades. Nobody bothered to check to see whatever happened to him. A few hours later Ryoko stumbled into Odesso with her cabbit, her face and clothes covered with blood and wounds she suffered from her fight. She was lying in an alley when I found her and took her in."

"Wow, I can't believe Ryoko can be so…deadly." Mihoshi said with her hands covering her mouth; her eyes fixated on her partner with such disbelief. "Kiyone, do you think Ryoko can really kill people like that so easily?"

Cullen leaned back towards the back seat where the blonde officer was sitting, glaring at her with anger simmering from his red face…

"She was ambushed you idiot! Ryoko did what any pirate, hell what any person would have done when cornered. I said it before and I'll say it again, Ryoko is many things, but a cold-blooded killer she's not! Those assholes deserved what they got and she barely survived that fight as it is."

"Take it easy Cullen! Mihoshi was only asking what any good detective would do, but you're right though, Ryoko did what she had to do and she's definitely is not the same person she was thirty years ago." Kiyone then stared at her partner, mimicking her fingers across her mouth as if to say to the ditz _'zip it'._

Cullen jumped out and stood by the stump, looking over the countryside for anything out of the ordinary. Once he felt secure, he pulled out a little red box with two black buttons by the side. As he pressed the lower button, blue energy bolts began to crackle around the area, scaring Mihoshi half to death.

"Kiyone…what's happening?" 

"Calm down Mihoshi…Cullen, what the hell?!?"

"Patience space cop…everything will soon be revealed to you."

As Cullen finished his sentence, the image of the countryside in front of them began to change form and within seconds, a massive armor covered fortress stood in place. Being a wanted pirate himself, Cullen invested a great deal of money in upgrading his security around his lair, which included a state of the art cloaking device. In the event the Galaxy Police or any other person decided in tracking him down, this was his best defense. Kiyone was impressed to say the least.

"This is amazing Cullen. Very few people have this kind of technology on hand, including Washu. _Although it wouldn't be stretch to say that she could whip one in a matter of minutes…_

"Well, you GP Officers didn't exactly give me a choice now, did you? I spent quite a few Juraian dollars in brib...er, I mean finding the right people to give me access to this device. When the battle between Ryoko and the raiders was old news, I decided to relocate my hideout to this spot, figuring few people would dare to venture out here…

"Well Mr. Cullen, I have to say that it fits your personality well." Mihoshi quipped. "Did Ryoko ever stayed here?"

"Once in a while, but not recently. That was why we agreed to meet at Yotaka's Place so we can finish catching up on old times. Well, as they say on your adopted planet…_'Mi casa es su casa.'_

"Goody! Maybe we can get the tour you said earlier Mr. Cullen, but before we start I just have one more question…?"

_SIGH… _"What is now Mihoshi?"

"Can you point the way to the bathroom? In all the excitement I forgot to go before we left Yagami and I've been holding it since we arrived on Trillian Prime so I really need to go now!"

"ARRGH! Mihoshi! You're really hopeless, you know that?"

"Tell me Kiyone, was she your first choice for a partner or was it just bad luck?" Cullen asked with a smirk, seeing the exasperated look on the detective's face.

"You have no idea pirate…no idea at all."

"Well, let me activate the auto-gate and one inside you make a sharp left and on the second door on the right is the little girls room…"

"Oh _thankyouthankyouthankyou_…see ya in a few!" Like a passing breeze, the blonde officer ran inside for quick relief as the black metallic entrance doors lifted themselves from the floor. Cullen then walked inside, followed by the still frustrated Kiyone.

"When your partner is all done, I'll give ya guys a quick tour, get some food and show ya to your quarters, unless of course you just wanna see mine's…"

"Listen up bucko! I'm here to exonerate my friend, who also happens to be yours as well! I didn't come here to play house and get caught up in a lovefest with the likes of you…"

"Really? Could've sworn the first time we met; I thought I saw some serious sparks between us. Was I mistaken?" The pirate grinned as he awaited a response from the dark haired beauty.

"P-preposterous! W-what would a decorated officer like myself see in a rogue criminal like you?"

"A chance to let your hair down and be naughty for once?"

"Dream on pirate! When this investigation is over, I doubt it very much that you'll see me again unless it's with some handcuffs…"

"If that's what stopping you, I have a few laying around here somewhere…"

"ARGH! Stop it will you?!? And I thought Ryoko was arrogant and conceited at times, but you got her beat hands down!"

"Thank you. It's good to know that I taught her well. Come on, let me take you to my command center while your partner finishes up."

"Yes please! Anything to change the subject." Kiyone answered as she followed Cullen along a dimly light narrow hallway. "This also gives me the chance to contact Washu for a status report. It's been awhile."

Cullen couldn't help but smile as he kept Kiyone on her toes. Whether she admitted it or not, he was going to play around with her until his suspicions were confirmed and find out if a space pirate and a GP officer could get together without having to go to jail or go through a space chase. As for Mihoshi, her unusual behavior made the burly man leery of her and fearful that she could bring the roof down on them, but the thought of having the blonde and her partner in his quarters…

_Easy old man! Let's help out Ryoko first and maybe later we'll play with the house money… _the pirate thought to himself, indulging in his fantasies.

                                                                        *************************************

PLANET EARTH…

"Ok Claybourne, let's run the analysis one more time…based on the data we have on Ryoko and the information retrieved from the video disc Azaka was so kind to leave for us, is there a possibility that the person on the disc is Ryoko?"

"_You know I hate being called that Washu. Couldn't you just come up with better name? Even being called 'computer' sounds alot more appealing…" _Replied the digitized voice of Washu's computer. The little genius spent many nights doing various experiments and decided that a friendly voice would be a nice change of pace, so she created an AI program in order for her computer to gain the personal traits of a sentient being. There were some drawbacks however…

"Quit whining and give me the results willya? I didn't install a personality program so you could complain all the time…"

Washu has spent countless hours going over the all the data she could dig up on Ryoko personal files and everything that occurred on the planet Xeria. Her once sparkling green eyes were now bloodshot from the lack of sleep and while she was tempted to rest, even when prodded by the concerned Nobuyuki, she refused to stop. Time was getting short and without hearing anything from _the Saibankan, _the brilliant scientist had no idea if or when the fleet would arrive on Jurai. Kiyone should be contacting her at anytime, but the GP officer would only be providing some clues to this mysterious puzzle. If anyone was going to fit the pieces together, it had to be the redheaded genius…

_"Well Washu, based on the last updated info we took on Ryoko, my calculations indicate that the image we see on screen isn't really her_. _The body type doesn't match." _

"I thought so. How much of a difference Clay?"

_"Based on Earth's measurements, Ryoko presently stands at sixty-nine inches and weighs approximately at one hundred forty five pounds. Measuring the composition of the image shown on the disc, the person standing in as Ryoko is about sixty-seven inches and one hundred fifty pounds…"_

"Claybourne, how were you able to determine that from a image? It's only a digital 3D representation."

_"Simple really…during the explosion of the Juraian transport, the night sky was lit and when this 'Ryoko' appeared in the streets, the light casted a shadow behind her. If we were to compare the measurements of the shadow and the person standing there…"_

"They both should have been at the right proportions if that was the real Ryoko, but they weren't! Which means our imposter must have been wearing a disguise! A mask maybe or perhaps cosmetic surgery?"

"_Negative. The proportion ratio of the assassin and their shadow would have been consistent. The imposter was probably carrying a holographic image emitter on their person when they arrived at the tavern."_

"I knew that…I was only testing you. Now Clay, can you 'wipe away' the image on the screen and possibly show who our killer is?"

"_Nope, This disc is pissed poor in quality and heavily encrypted I'm afraid. Even as advanced as you made me, I would still need the original copy to comply with your request."_

"Great! We know now that Ryoko wasn't on Xeria at the time of the murder, but we still don't have a clue on who the culprit is. Damn!" Washu answered in frustration as she leaned her body back on her floating chair. She got some of the answers she was looking for, but there was a lot of work left to do.

"Well Claybourne, you did good. It's nice to know my genius has integrated with your systems quite nicely…"

_"Yeah, but you sure can pick some lousy names. Why did you have to name me after that buffoon of a instructor from the Science Academy?"_

"Dr. Clay? I dunno, he was full of hot air and always wanting to get the last word in so I guess when I created you, I wanted to finally get my last two yens in, heh-heh."

_"WASHU…"_

"All right…all right. After this ordeal is finished, I'll let you pick a name out for yourself. Will that make you feel better?"

_"Yes it would…hold up. Detective Kiyone is coming in on a secured channel. Shall I open a visual?"_

"Yes, put her through…" 

"Washu?!? It's Kiyone, did you find out anything from your end?" Kiyone asked, trying to ignore the advances of a certain redheaded pirate and the ramblings of her blonde partner. "We're with Cullen right now, staying at his hideout for the night."

"Good Kiyone. I completed my spectrum analysis on the videodisc and while I can happily say that the person on the video is not Ryoko, I still can't make out the identity of the killer. I'm afraid we still need further proof kiddo. Anything good on your end?"

"Well, after telling Cullen about the information we received, he thinks there's a man in town who may be involved with Ryoko's sudden disappearance, or at least knows about it. We're gonna wait until morning and head back into Odesso to interrogate him. Hopefully he'll have the answers we're looking for. Any word from the others?"

"Sorry Kiyone, still nada. Those morons from the Juraian military are keeping a tight lid on things. I probably won't hear anything until they reach Jurai and who knows what happens once they land there?"

"Knowing the Juraians, they'll try to control the media to sway in their favor. It's going to up to Ayeka to prevent this trial from turning into to feeding frenzy." Kiyone figured, knowing some of the political upheavals that had occurred on Jurai in the last few years.

"I agree, but have faith in Ayeka Kiyone. She has Yosho and the knights for guidance and maybe this is something she needs to do in order for her to succeed as empress. If anything, I'll contact you once I establish a link with them ok?"

"Copy that Washu. Once we're done here, I'll get back to you before we leave Trillian Prime…Kiyone out."

As the flat holographic screen goes blank, Washu sits alone with her thoughts, wondering what will happen next.

_I gotta feeling that things are going to get really interesting…_

_                                                                        **************************************_

JURAIAN MILITARY CRUISER SAIBANKAN…

For the past few minutes, he sat there quietly. His back leaned against the metallic headboard, his bare legs stretched out towards the end of the bed. His skin feeling clammy due to the perspiration drying up from his first ever act of intercourse. Tenchi couldn't help but feel odd by the new sensations he experienced last night. Yet, as he looked down by his exposed chest to see the silky cyan mane that covered the face of the most beautiful being he had ever laid his eyes on, he knew deep down that he would happily remember this day for the rest of his life.   

_I still can't believe it! Ryoko and I…we made love last night! I always dreamed that one day we would do it, but I never thought it would actually happen. _Tenchi smiled as he gently brushed his fingers against his love's hair. Ryoko had fallen asleep some time ago after their passionate lovemaking and he was being very careful not to disturb her from her slumber.

The former space pirate had covered herself with the bed sheets; her arms wrapped around Tenchi for comfort. While the once shy teenager can't see her voluptuous body, he still could envision every curve, feel every drop of sweat her body gave off as they joined, tasting her lips as she pulled his face onto hers, sliding down between her creamy thighs and…

_Gods! That was so…intense, but such a great feeling nevertheless. _The young Juraian thought to himself as he felt another erection coming on. Though the thought of staying in bed with Ryoko and continuing where they left off was a preferable choice, he knew that later today they would be landing on Jurai and to prepare with the ordeal that was soon to come.

Quietly and carefully, Tenchi slid off the bed and propped some pillows under Ryoko as to not disturb her. Azaka was probably still standing guard outside the sickbay and wondering how long were they on planning on staying here so he quickly dressed himself and tip-toed slowly towards the door…

"Leaving me without a goodnight kiss? Geez, talk about a one night stand." Tenchi jumped as he heard a sassy, but familiar voice.

"Ryoko! I thought you were still sleeping. I didn't want to wake you."

"Honey, my senses are very attuned to your scent so no matter what you do, I can still feel your movements." The cyan girl happily answered as she floated out of bed, still wrapped in the bed sheets and landed right in front of her love.

"Sorry I woke you, but it's morning and…well you know what today is." Tenchi said dejectedly as he wrapped his arms around his love, feeling the warmth of her body next to his. As much as he was happy for finally expressing his love to Ryoko, he felt a touch of sadness as well for last night might be the first and only time they get to make love.

"Yeah, I know Tenchi and I'll find a way to build my courage and face it, but I don't regret for one minute for what happened last night. It was such a beautiful feeling and you can't imagine how happy I am to know that you finally love me…"

"And I don't regret it either Ryoko. All those feelings I have for you, feelings I tried to keep hidden inside me were finally released and I don't have to hide anything from you anymore. I just wish that the circumstances were better."

Ryoko smiled, seeing the worrisome look her lover had on his face. As she laid her right hand on his cheek, she thought about maybe a month ago, she would've assumed that his concern for her was strictly out of pity or at least his feelings would be no stronger than what he felt for the others girls, but now she knew…

"Tenchi, while I'm the last to preach about patience, you and the rest of the gang need to do whatever it takes to get me out of this mess. Everybody got their little roles to play and I know that you won't fail me. I know that I'm innocent and I'll fight this to the very end because as long as I know that you love me and be there for me, I can't lose!"

"I'm glad to hear that darling because I'm not going to let them hurt you anymore. I'll take on the entire Juraian military if I have to, but I'm not leaving Jurai without you..."

_"Oh Tenchi…" God, he actually called me darling! _

As the young lovers gazed into each other eyes and then embraced in a passionate kiss, a knock from the door was heard from outside…

"Uh, Lord Tenchi? Sorry to interrupt you, but Princess Ayeka is on her way to see Ryoko. She tried contacting you, but since you weren't at your quarters…"

"Ayeka?!? Uh, thanks Azaka, I'll be right out."

"Ayeka is coming to see me? Guess she really wants to have that talk with me before we reach Jurai." Ryoko surmised as she phased into her blue and yellow striped dress. "Do you want to tell her about us or should I?"

"Ayeka already knows Ryoko. I told her my decision yesterday before I came here and strangely enough she took it well."

"Really? I'm pleasantly surprised at you Tenchi. Making mad passionate love to me and telling Ayeka about your choice, you really did grow a backbone these last few weeks…"

"Hey now!  I'm not a wimp, just indecisive at times." Tenchi mildly scolded back at Ryoko, but knowing that she was right.

"Don't take it so hard my Tenchi, consider it that you're rapidly becoming a fine upstanding young man…and boy what a man you're turning out to be!" Tenchi flashed a crimson red on his cheeks when he heard Ryoko's remark. She's starting to see him in a new light and that was going to take some time in getting used to. 

"Anyways, let me scamper off so you girls can talk. After you're done, contact me ok? None of these guards are escorting you off the ship without me by your side got it?"

"Yes my knight in shining armor. I eagerly await for your return, hehehe…"

"Oh Ryoko…"

                                                                        *****************************************

ODESSO PERFECTURE, PLANET TRILLIAN PRIME...  

"Well, I must say Mr. Cullen, you're a really great chef. I didn't think pirates could cook so well…"

"What ya expect blondie? I pretty much live here by myself and I can't exactly call for takeout. So it's either cook for myself or starve to death." The boisterous pirate replied as he and the lady GP officers sat at a lavishly decorated dining room with gold and silver dining ware spread out throughout the room; no doubt stolen goods from his pirating. The pirate chef served a decent meal of Trillian roast boar served with the planet's native vegetables with a generous pitcher of Juraian red wine. While the girls knew that Cullen was a wanted space pirate, they weren't about to turn down his hospitality.

"So tell me Cullen? Other than Ryoko visiting here from time to time, have you always lived alone?" Kiyone politely asked. "Not that it's any of my business, but I could imagine that it can be lonely at times. I remembered Ryoko telling me that on a few occasions."

"That's probably why she settled on Earth with that Juraian prince which I'm glad that she did." Cullen responded with a half smile, his thoughts tracing their way back to the cyan pirate who was a great partner in the short time they were together. While the burly giant would never understand what Ryoko saw in Tenchi, he was just as glad that she may had found that elusive happiness she been seeking out all her young life.

"To answer your question officer Kiyone, yes it does get lonely at times. Other than going out raiding ships with a hired crew or going into town for a few drinks and some paid female companionship, I tend to be by myself a lot. Granted, it ain't no glamorous life like those Juraian royalty snobs and I have to deal with people like you GP pests, but nobody forced me to make this choice. I'm rich, free to do what I want and somewhat famous…"

"Infamous to be exact." Kiyone jumped in, trying to understand why Cullen chose to live this life. "You're still on the GP top ten most wanted felons with Ryoko having jumped back to number one after the Braga murder."

"Wow Kiyone, imagine that. We personally know two of the most wanted criminals in the universe. Are we lucky or what?"

"You would think that Mihoshi. Now shut up and get back to eating." The teal-haired woman snapped back, sensing that familiar headache coming on.

"Well ladies, when you're finished with dinner, you can retire to my living room and I'll bring out some coffee and neublan chocolate cake…or I can bring out a keg of Trillian Prime's best ale and we could get smashed and naked! What's your preference?"   

"Hmm, that's a tough one, what do you think Kiyone?"

"Well Mihoshi, there's always a third option…"

"Third option? Which one is that?"

"The option of me tying and gagging you in your room until morning so I can get some rest and prepare for our investigation…"

"Uh, I think I'll have the coffee and cake Mr. Cullen…"

"Wise choice blondie, give me a few minutes…hahaha!"

Cullen couldn't contained his laughter as he saw the nervous blonde detective scampered out of her seat and made a dash for the pirate's living room, fearing that her partner may make good on her threat. Kiyone stayed behind, shaking her head in amazement.

"Just curious Kiyone, I know she can drive you crazy at times so why have her for a partner? Can't you GP cops request for a new partner when needed?" 

"Yeah, the thought has occurred from time to time, _twenty since yesterday _but we've been through a lot in the last few years and while I may never admit it to her, she is my closest friend and part of the dysfunctional family called the Masakis."

"That must be really nice…being part of a family and all." Cullen remarked as he took a seat next to the now calm detective. Kiyone for once didn't look apprehensive when he sat beside her. To her surprise, she was finding his company rather enjoyable.

"Yes, it is. Even though the GP claims that we're all playing for one team, the truth of the matter is that the life a patrol officer can be just as lonely as a pirate's. I cursed the fates when I found out that Mihoshi was alive and stranded on Earth way back when, but now I see it as one of the better things that ever happened to me." Kiyone replied happily as she took a sip a wine from her golden goblet while Cullen was giving her his full attention.

"So you have a adopted family and some high powered connections with the Jurai Royal Family, but it doesn't explain why such a beautiful woman like yourself is unattached…"

"Cullen, please don't…"

"I'm being serious here little lady. Considering your recent track record and your dynamite looks, I'm surprised you're not hooked up to some higher ranking officer or a politician."

"I haven't been looking around to be honest, but that is very sweet of you to say that. Too bad you're on the wrong side of the law or otherwise…" 

_"Otherwise what Officer Kiyone?" _The redheaded man seductively asked as he gently embraced Kiyone's right hand. She was slightly surprised that a huge man can be so gentle. "As I remember, we're on the same team now aren't we? I think I have proven to be a valuable ally to this point. Do you think I would try something to hurt you?"

"No, it's not that. I think you're a honorable man and very handsome…_Oh God, what did I just say? _

"Look at me Kiyone. For the moment…don't think; don't ponder about anything. Do what your heart tells you to do right now. What's your heart saying to you now?"

Kiyone's mind drew a blank as she gazed deeply into the gleaming green eye of the pirate. While at times she felt repulsed by him, it was only because of what he represented. Now that she had seen glimpses of what the man actually was: a kind-hearted, brave soul who would go out and defend his friends no matter the cost, she found him very attractive and at that very moment her mind was directing her body to lean forward and press her lips upon his.

As the pirate and GP officer locked lips in a sudden display of affection, their brief moment of passion was utterly disrupted by an annoying, whining sound of a lost soul…

"KIIYOONE!! Mr. Cullen? Is the cake ready yet? I'm starving over here." Yelled out omnipresent figure of Mihoshi, waiting for dessert as she watched the interstellar news on Cullen's holographic TV.

Giggles spilled out of the dining room as both Kiyone and Cullen couldn't help themselves but laugh at their misfortune for bad timing. As Cullen got up as he began to walk over to the kitchen for cake and coffee, a gentle hand reached out…

"Sorry about that. Now you know why Mihoshi gets on my nerves sometimes. She just has a knack for these things."

"Yeah, well it was nice though. You're a great kisser you know that?"

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself, but we shouldn't be doing this. It wouldn't be right."

"I understand what you're sayin', but you need to have some fun once in awhile. When tomorrow comes, all bets are off, but tonight could be different. Whatdaya say huh?"

"I don't know Cullen…"

"Listen up Kiyone. We're gonna have some laughs for next few hours and then get some sleep. If you want, I'm leaving my bedroom door open for you so it'll be up to you to accept my invitation. No pressure, no strings attached; it's your choice ok?"

"Let me think about it ok?" Kiyone said as Cullen handed her a pot of coffee. He laid his massive left hand on her shoulders as she looked up and saw a warm smile directed at her. She was feeling at ease now that he allowed GP officer to choose her form of pleasure, but he had to have the last word in so as they headed off to the living room to join the blonde mayhem…

"Sure babe…but don't take too long cause I may decide to play 'house' with your partner…"

"CULLEN!"

"Just kidding! Damn, ain't you the sensitive type?"

                                                                        ***************************************

JURAIAN MILITARY CRUISER SAIBANKAN…

"Damn that Ayeka! Even in a case of an emergency, she takes forever to look prim and proper. What the hell is taking her so long?"

For the last ten minutes Ryoko had been sitting, floating around the sickbay with her legs crossed, impatiently waiting for her friend and rival. Even before Tenchi finally came to her to confess his love, the space pirate had a sneaky suspicion that the princess wanted to discuss several things with her, including Tenchi. This was going to be an awkward situation for the both of them, but from the conversation they had earlier, Ryoko knew this had to be done before they landed on Jurai.

Just as the cyan beauty's thoughts began to drift off to more pleasant things, the med door slid open and appearing before her was Ayeka, dressed in her casual light blue kimono, her hair tied up in one long ponytail. Behind her stood Yosho and Azaka, with what seem to be a metallic ringlet or collar in his left hand. Ryoko didn't like the body language the Juraians were showing.

"Good morning Ryoko. I hope that you slept well last night…" Ayeka greeted the pirate, but without making eye contact.

"Well, I wouldn't say that I slept last night princess, but I'm feeling quite chipper this morning, don't you agree Azaka?" Ryoko answered, displaying a smirk that revealed one of her fangs. Azaka knew fully well what she meant, being that he had to stand guard all night while Ryoko and Tenchi were romping in the room. However, as a royal knight, he was bound by oath not to reveal anything that had transpired, even to the princess.

"Yes...ahem…well I'm sure spending some time with the prince may have had something to do with it. _And may Tsumani spare me from having to deal with it again. _

"Oh, Tenchi was here? No wonder I couldn't reach him through the comlink. Just as well I suppose since I'm here to talk to you about some things, but first Ryoko I need for you to do something for me, even though you won't like it…"

"Oh…and what may that be princess?" 

"Yosho…please?" Ayeka politely stepped back as the old prince approached the cyan girl. Ryoko landed on the floor and took a step back, nervously waiting for what Tenchi's grandfather had to say.

"Ryoko, before we land on Jurai, there are a few things that we need to do first, but let me say this: Everyone here in this room believes in your innocence and we will do everything in our power to exonerate you. Do you believe me?"

Ryoko gave a weak nod back, still not sure what was going to happen next. Azaka then stepped up, with the circular device on hand.

"What's that Azaka got in his hand? Didn't you just say to me that you believe me?"

"We do believe you Ryoko, however the captain will not allow you leave this room without having your powers neutralized." Azaka explained, lifting the device and pushing a small button, allowing the collar device to open. "He was instructed to put this device around your neck in order to short-circuit your ability to use your powers once we reached Jurai. Normally the ship's guards are assigned to this with the captain being present, but Lord Yosho and I have 'persuaded' him that it would better that we perform the task."

"Do you really expect me to put that thing on like some condemned criminal? No Fucking way!"

"Ryoko! Mind your manners! If you go about acting like the space pirate you used to be, then you will be giving the Juraian officials exactly what they want: a depraved barbarian who murdered one of their own." Yosho said earnestly, seeing the raw anger that the former pirate was displaying. "You'll need to keep your anger in check or else the media will slander you to such extremes, your conviction will be sealed before the trial even begins." 

Ryoko's golden orbs were seething with anger as she listened to the old shrine master. Her chest heaving heavily as she envisioned of what could happen once she left the ship. Her past history was to lash out at whatever threatened her existence, but this was a totally different environment and she had other people to consider as well.

"Does Tenchi know about this?" Ryoko inquired, her anger subsiding for the moment.

"No, not yet. Don't you remember Ryoko? I believe he was detained by you last night." Azaka replied, flashing a quick smirk back at the pirate, causing her to momentarily blush and to lighten the mood in the room.

"Ryoko…please, we wouldn't be asking you to do this if there was some other way, but right now our options are limited." Ayeka pleaded with her friend, reaching out and grasping Ryoko's hands with hers. "We know that you trust Tenchi with all your heart, can you do the same for us?"

"I'll answer that question when we're alone Ayeka, but I know you all mean well. Yosho, if Tenchi agrees to this then I'll do as you ask. Is that acceptable?"

"Fair enough child. Azaka and I will seek out Tenchi and explain to him what needs to be done, but understand this…the captain has his orders and you'd be playing right into their hands if you resist and there's very little Ayeka, Azaka or myself could do to help you. Please think about it Ryoko."

As the old warriors left the sick bay to seek out Tenchi, Ryoko and Ayeka each sat at opposite ends, waiting for the other to say something. Ryoko started first.

"Well Princess? You needed to talk to me so spill it. We ain't got much time now do we?"

"Unfortunately no, but what I have to say is very important so please bear with me…"

"I've pretty much been doing that ever since we met princess so this isn't much of a stretch y'know…"

"RYOKO!"

"Just kidding! Geez, you're so easy to rile up Ayeka, hehehe…"

"I'm trying to be serious here pirate! It's bad enough that I have the burden of overseeing your trial and trying to convince my ministers that I am competent to rule over my people…"

"Plus Tenchi telling you that he loves me…"

"He told you? That would explain the weird expression on Azaka's face a few moments ago." Ayeka finally surmised what the exchange between Ryoko and her knight when she noticed Tenchi's sketchbook on top of the side drawer by Ryoko's bed. Before the princess had the time to put the clues together, Ryoko quickly grabbed her attention once more…

"Ayeka? Are you ok with this? I know you must be hurting when he told you his decision and I know we've been at odds with each other for the last few months before this mess came up, but please…I still consider you my closest friend after Tenchi and I need to know that you're all right with this."

Ayeka kept her head down for a few seconds, leaving Ryoko to worry that her rival wasn't taking her rejection well. However, as her eyes began to tear up, a pair of arms quickly embraced her, momentarily startling the golden-eyed woman.

"Of course I'm ok with this silly. It's been my fault that Tenchi didn't come to you sooner when he should have. Had I admitted to myself back at Haruna's world that he was in love with you and stopped competing for his affections, perhaps none of this would've happened."

"_Ayeka…"_

"Hear me out Ryoko. As much as I hated losing Tenchi to you, I know that deep down you will be there for him as you always have been. I thought that no one could love that wonderful man more than me, but I was wrong. You have done things for him that would have made me stopped and think. The fact that you nearly died, bringing him to face Kagato and freeing me are proof enough."

"Ayeka…I don't know what to say. Just hearing you say that is so…so…"

Ryoko couldn't hold back as tears began to flow from her eyes. Upon seeing that, Ayeka joined in as well as both women held each other for comfort. The walls that they kept between them all these years were starting to come down; knowing that Ayeka had accepted Tenchi's love for Ryoko made the cyan girl even more happier since she won't feel any guilt in loving the one thing that she held dearly. However, there was one little problem to be cleared up…

"Ryoko? As much as I'm happy that we're still friends, I'm afraid that friendship will be severely tested when we reach my homeworld. You know as much as anyone what will take place when your trial starts and I will have very little say in what the tribunal decides to do, however I will do everything in my power to see that no harm will come to you. But…But…"

"Say it Ayeka. Are you wondering if I would hold it against you if the law decides to convict me and put me to death?"

"It won't happen Ryoko! I believe in you as the others do! We will find a way to clear your name. It's just that…that…"

"It's just you can't say for certain if I'll get out of this mess, is that it? 

"Ryoko, I…"

"Ayeka, would you do me a favor?"

"What? A favor? Of course Ryoko, anything for you, what is it that you need?" The princess asked sullenly as the Ryoko took her hand and held it tight, as if she was about to say her last words.

"If things don't work out for me. Should something happen that would cause me to lose and be executed…"

"Ryoko please…"

"Hear me out Ayeka! Should…should anything happen to me, I want you to promise me that you will always look after Tenchi. If I'm put to death, he's gonna go ballistic and you'd need to be there for him; for his own sake. Can you do that for me Ayeka? For the sake of our friendship and your love for Tenchi? P-Please?" 

The violet haired princess began to weep uncontrollably. She was so worry about her friend's negative reaction to her predicament, so afraid of what she'd think of her that it totally stunned her that she would make such a request. Ryoko slid next to her former rival and instinctively held her as Ayeka leaned her head against the pirate's chest and just wept. Ryoko cried as well, knowing that these few precious moments may be her last, but she was determined to be strong, regardless of the outcome. Then she remembered…

"I never answered your question Ayeka."

*Sniff * "Answer?"

"Yes. I completely trust all of you to help me through this. Regardless of what Tenchi says…I will do as Yosho says."

"Thank you Ryoko." Ayeka answered as she lifted her head up and faced her friend, trying to wipe away her tears. "I will try to uphold the trust you have placed in me."

"No, _thank you_ Ayeka…for believing in me." _Now I just hope the tribunal does too. _

_                                                                        ************************************_

ODESSO PERFECTURE, PLANET TRILLIAN PRIME...  

 

Dawn…the beginning of a new day as the planet's red giant began to creep up over the horizon. As life began to awaken on the desert-like landscape, two people were prepping up a hovercraft as they began to go over their strategy.

"So everything's clear right? You'll introduce me to Turk and I'll start asking the questions…" Detective Kiyone asked, making sure her new ally was on the same page.

"Crystal babe…and should your suspect decides to be uncooperative, I'll use my own powers of persuasion to get him to talk." Cullen replied. "And Mihoshi?"

"She'll be outside with the hovercraft, standing by should things get hairy, but I'm confident that we'll get what we need." Kiyone answered as Cullen came around the vehicle and wrapped his arms around the beautiful officer. Kiyone didn't back off, but instead put her arms around his, smiling about last night.

"I take it that you enjoyed last night detective?" The redheaded giant asked as he laid his head on top of Kiyone, his goatee brushing against her cheek, making her ticklish.

"Much as I hate to admit it…yes I did. Thank you." 

"Your welcome. Pity that this is going to end soon; I was starting to get attach to you girls."

"I know, but we agreed last night that this is as far as we can take it, speaking of which, please don't tell Mihoshi about it please? I been on her ass about keeping her focus and concentrating on this assignment so much that the last thing I need to hear from her is why I can have fun on the job and she can't." Kiyone begged her lover as she turned around and faced him. 

Cullen smiled, knowing what she meant, but he still wanted to ask the question…

"Any regrets about last night?"

"No, I don't. It was the first time in a long time that I felt like a woman and not some cop on the job. If anything, I only wish we had more time together…"

"Don't say it!" Cullen whispered as he held his index finger on Kiyone's lips."We happened between us last night was special so don't start with the 'what ifs' ok? Your mission right now is to help free Ryoko and when that's over and if you want to, you know where to find me."

"God…I never thought I could fall for someone on the wrong side of the law…"

"Hey babe, if a wanted space pirate like Ryoko could fall for a country boy who also happens to be a crowned prince of the most powerful empire in the universe, anything's possible." Cullen replied as he lowered his head down to meet with Kiyone's moist lips. "The choice is up to you."

With one swift move, Cullen picked up the lithe brunette and sat her on top the hovercraft's hood. Kiyone straddled herself around the pirate's torso as they passionately kissed. They were oblivious to the world around them until the blonde cyclone of mischief made her presence felt once more.

"Whoa! Am I seeing things or what?!?" Mihoshi yelled out, shocked to what she had just witnessed. "Kiyone…of all people!"

Cullen and Kiyone jumped from fright when Mihoshi stumbled upon them. Kiyone nearly landed on her rear when Cullen let her go to face the blonde mayhem. After a few seconds, the GP officer recomposed herself and addressed her partner.

"It's not what you think Mihoshi! Cullen was…was feeling sad about Ryoko's predicament so I gave him a hug; you know…to comfort him, right Cullen?"

"_What a lame excuse for…_OW!" Cullen screamed out as Kiyone high-heeled boots landed on top of his foot. He got the message.

"Oh yeah, I'm kinda bummed out over Ryoko y'know?  Your partner was only trying to make me feel better. _And last night boy, did she ever! _ Cullen thought to himself, grinning like an idiot.

"Oh, ok then. I could had sworn though you guys were kissing on the hovercraft, hehehe…" Mihoshi answered as she scratched the top of her head in confusion. _Must have been the morning light playing tricks with my eyes. _

"Come on guys! Time's a wastin' and we got a scumbag to catch! Kiyone can fill you in on the way over to Turk's bar." Cullen yelled out as all three jumped into the hovercraft and proceeded to Odesso.

                                                                        *************************************

ONE HOUR LATER…

_'Yotaka's Place: _a rundown, seedy tavern on the western part of Odesso where the owner Turk had been running for the last fifteen years.  No one quite remembered when Turk took over the place, but one day the original owner, Mesuru Yotaka, suddenly disappeared and shortly after, the former pirate took over. Speculation was that Turk had Mesuru knocked off, but the body was never found.

Turk was a sight to behold. At around six feet and weighing over three hundred pounds, he wasn't what you called mobile. Like many pirates, he had scar marks on his face and balding head, as well on his arms when he wore short-sleeved shirts. His left hand was robotic, indicating that he was in battle sometime ago, but to this day he would never say how he lost it.

On this particular day, which was the first day of the Trillian week, Turk would always come in early to count up his cash receipts. Many of the locals, as well as some passing pirates knew this so it wasn't unusual to see his tavern open so early in the morning. Today however, he would have wished he stayed at home…

As the GP hovercraft parked across the street from the tavern, its occupants went over their plans once more.

"Keep the engine running Mihoshi, just in case we get caught in a firefight." Kiyone told her partner as she and Cullen jumped off the vehicle and started to go towards the bar. "This place is crawling with pirates and we may need to get the hell of here if things get hairy."

"You can count on me Kiyone. Did you remember to set your cube on remote in case you need Yagami?"

"Yes I did, but thanks for reminding me anyway. You better do the same too, in case I'm too busy in there." Kiyone responded as she checked her GP sensor cube once more while also setting her phase gun to 'stun'. Cullen also checked his weapon, but his settings were on 'kill'.

_They may be leaving this planet, but I'm not. If anything happens, I ain't bothering to have some scallywag live and come back later to try and kill me. Kiyone won't understand it, but it's a matter of survival around here. _The pirate said to himself as he and GP officer strolled into the bar and into the pit of vermin. 

Meanwhile a block away, two men were idly standing by a rundown abandoned building, looking at the direction of the tavern. One of the men pulled a circular device and activated it.

"Yataka! This is Oto…The GP officers have arrived and they're not alone."

"Who's with them? Can you identify the individual?" The other voice from the device answered.

"From what I can see, it looks like Ryoko's old pal Cullen. He just went in the bar with the dark-haired cop. The other one is waiting across the street with their hovercraft."

"Hmm, they ain't as stupid as I thought." Yataka realized that their plans might start to unfold so he gave his cronies their orders…

"Oto! You and Osaka go around the back of the bar, so that blonde ditz doesn't detect you. Once inside, eliminate our collaborator and if you guys can kill the cop and Cullen, I'll throw in a bonus. Got it?"

"Copy that and make sure it's in Juraian dollars ok? We're report back when we're done. Oto out!" Quietly and inconspicuously, the two figures walked over one block and made a right turn where a darkened alley was located. From there, Osaka pulled his blaster and on its lowest settings, approached the back door of the tavern and began to melt open the locks.

Back inside, Cullen and Kiyone made their way towards the middle of the bar where Turk was happily counting his cash. However, a familiar booming voice would interrupt his joyous moment.

"Turk! You old scallywag! How's it been?" Cullen bellowed out as he pulled a stool right across the where Turk was. Kiyone also found a stool and sat right next to Cullen while surveying the area. Many of the patrons were known felons and while most of them would get involved in this dispute, some may recognize Kiyone and all hell could break loose at anytime.

"Cullen! Haven't seen you in awhile. What brings you here so early and who's this ravishing young lady you brought here?" The old pirate inquired, his eyes lustily looking at Kiyone's body.

"Well, it's a funny thing Turk. Remember the last time I was here looking for Ryoko? Well Kiyone here is a friend of hers and she was just wondering what happened to her here on Trillian Prime?"

"A friend huh?" Turk replied; his once lusty expression now turned to a more serious look. "Well, you're kinda late now ain't ya? Everyone knows that devil woman is on Jurai now being tried for killing that minister so shouldn't you be there instead?"

Kiyone took over the conversation, waiting for the opportunity to spring her surprise on the tavern owner.

"Yes, you're right Mr. Turk, but my understanding is that Ryoko was here for a short time and was suppose to meet with Cullen for a few drinks. According to Red here, she never showed up so do you recall her being here?"

Turk was starting to get uncomfortable with Kiyone's line of questioning and had his suspicions. 

"Not to my recognition pretty lady, what's it to you?"

"Well, Cullen said he didn't see Ryoko that day here, but a source of mine said otherwise. They said she came here an hour early and had some drinks, but she never left the bar; at least not through the front door. Know anything about that?"   

"What are ya lady, a cop or something?"

"Maybe…maybe not, but the point is Mr. Turk is that Ryoko is a good friend of mine and I suspect that you had something to do with her disappearance from Trillian Prime…"

"That's enough girlie! I suggest that you and Cullen here leave my establishment…"

"Turk! Don't be such a rude host." Cullen stepped in as he displayed his phase gun from his holster. "Ryoko was to meet with me here and next thing I know she captured by the Jurai Military. I might be getting old, but I think you know more than you're letting on. Now I strongly suggest that you tell the pretty lady here what you know or else I may have to force my 'objections' on you."

"Fuck you Cullen! I ain't telling you and this bitch here shit!" Turk cursed out in which Cullen responded by grabbing the old pirate by his shirt collar and flipping him over his shoulders and smashing him on top of a nearby table. At that moment, most of the patrons decided to leave their drinks and headed out the door.

"Cullen! You called this persuasion?!?" Kiyone screamed out at Cullen, wondering if it was a good idea to bring him along.

"Detective, on this planet, we use whatever means necessary and so I used my own method of communication" The burly pirate replied, holding down Turk on the table with his gun pointed on his head.

Kiyone walked over and crouched down to talk to the bloodied Turk. As she did, the officer pulled out her cube and pressed a series of buttons in which a holographic image appeared. The image displayed a group of men from thirty years ago and in the middle of the picture showed what appeared to be a younger version of Turk.

"Remember this image Turk? This was taken thirty years ago when your raiders pulled a bank heist in another city. I asked Cullen this morning if there was any records of your group and luckily this came up through the Trillian historical archives."

"So what? What's that got to do with Ryoko…argh!! Let go you big ape!" Turk screamed out as Cullen continued to bear his massive weight down on the old pirate.

"Well, I was wondering why someone would go to great lengths to have Ryoko kidnapped and framed. When Cullen told me about the battle between her and the raiders all those years ago, I decided to go on a hunch."

"Which was?"

"Which was you dumb fuck that when Kiyone decided to research for evidence and found the photo, I immediately saw your sorry ass on that image." Cullen answered as he displayed a wide grin at the expense of the old raider. "And when I mentioned to her that only one raider survived the battle, everything started to come together…"

"You were the pilot that survived against Ryo-oki, weren't you Turk? The false hand you have right now? You lost it during that massacre and you held a grudge against Ryoko ever since…"

"SON OF A BITCH!! You led her into a trap!" An enraged Cullen hollered out as he pulled Turk up from the broken table and threw him against the bar. "There's no way that you could have arranged for her to be kidnapped and reappear in space by yourself which means you had help. Who was it you prick?!? Who the hell pay you to do this?!?"

"I…I can't tell you that! They'll kill me if they find out I talked!" Turk pleaded as he realized that his game of deception had finally ended."

"And what makes you think I won't kill you right here and now you old fart! Either you talk or I'll personally rip you apart and scatter your remains in space and painfully I may add. TALK!"

Turk finally crumbled. Seeing no way out, he hoped his beaten confession would spare him from Cullen's wrath.

"Look, I…I doped Ryoko's drink, that's all. Two guys approached me and knew Ryoko liked to come to Trillian Prime so they said they would pay me two million Jurai if I set her up."

"So this was all for money?" Kiyone jumped in, disgusted with Turk's greed for money. "You had no other motive to set Ryoko up?'

"Of course I did bitch! Not a day goes by and I see my metal hand and remember how that cyan monster slaughtered my comrades. I swore on that day that I'd avenge their deaths and walk over her bloody grave. When my benefactors presented me with the opportunity to get back at her, I took it!" Turk confessed, admitting finally of his hatred for the former space pirate.

"Well, that explains a lot Cullen. Turk helped with the setup, but that still leaves us with finding out who these guys are who paid him." Kiyone said as he began to record Turk's confession into her cube.

"Leave that to me babe. Ok scumbag, who were lining your pockets? If you're cooperative, I'll leave your other hand intact. What do ya say Turk?"

"I…I…NOOOO!!!!"

Before anyone had the chance to react, a laser shot from the back pierced through the old raider's right side of the head and exploded his brain matter through the left. Blood and flesh fell all over the bar and on Cullen and Kiyone, which caused the GP cop to momentarily lose her composure and scream. When Cullen looked towards the direction of where the shot was taken, he saw the shadowy figures of Oto and Osaka by the back door, aiming their guns right at them.

As the assassins continued to fire, Kiyone reached for her gun and leaped over the bar while Cullen grabbed another table and shielded himself as he returned fire. When Oto and Osaka realized that their advantage had ended, they quickly bolted out the door. Cullen dropped the table and ran towards the back while yelling at Kiyone to go out the front and cut them off. 

Kiyone jumped over the bar once again and raced out through the front door and yelled at Mihoshi to start driving. However, by the time Kiyone scanned towards the alley, Oto and Osaka were already a block away and getting into their vehicle to escape. Cullen was right behind them, guns blazing away, but missing their intended target.

Mihoshi took off, but slowed down enough for Cullen to hopped on to the back and to continue with their pursuit. For the next several minutes they chased after the criminals, each craft shooting their lasers back and forth until they hit a long stretch of highway and suddenly a contour shaped ship appeared from above and use a tractor beam to pull the hovercraft up. Kiyone was cursing at her bad luck as she saw the ship accelerated and took off skyward.

"Don't get upset yet partner! Help is on the way!" Yelled out Mihoshi as she flashed her sensor cube and within seconds, the large red image of Yagami came up from behind them and hovered above, awaiting further instructions.

"Good work Mihoshi! Now we can go after them in our turf…"

"Except for me darlin', my ride ends here."

"Cullen…I forgot. You can't come with us?" Kiyone asked sullenly, realizing that her blossoming relationship with the pirate was about to end.

"I can't; I'm a wanted man too remember?" The giant man replied as he cupped Kiyone's face. "We all have our roles to play and while my part is finished, you and blondie still got a long ways to go. Now get going and catch those bastards ok? Ryoko is counting on you…and so am I."

Mihoshi stopped the PT Cruiser so Cullen could get off. As he did, he turned around and firmly planted a kiss the teal-haired detective one last time. Mihoshi couldn't help but giggle, as she knew that what she saw earlier wasn't a mere 'hug'.

"Remember what I told you earlier. When you're done with all this, you know where to find me." 

"I do and thanks for your help. I won't forget what you did." Kiyone said in earnest, trying to hold on to whatever moments she had left with Cullen.

"And I won't forget you…now get going or else you'll lose 'em!" The redhead replied, as he displayed a loving smile back at his love interest.

"Y-You're right! Yagami, activate the transport beam and bring us home! We're going after that ship! Mihoshi, once we're inside, plot a course to intercept and charge up the weapons systems!"

"You got it Kiyone! Here comes our pick up…goodbye Mr. Cullen! It was nice meeting you!"

"You too blondie! Take care of your partner ok and say hi to Ryoko for me, she still owes me a couple of rounds!"

As the beam began to engulf the hovercraft, the two lovers gave each other a loving gaze for last time as Kiyone began to mouth something. Cullen couldn't figure out what she said, but he sensed that this wasn't the last time he would see the lovely blue-eyed officer and her partner.

TO BE CONTINUED….

                                                                        **************************************

END CHAPTER NINE

A/N: 

I would like to thank my chatroom compadres Malena, LedZepFan and ThunderGod for their feedbacks. I'm always amazed of what you guys dream up for your stories; hopefully my stuff is up to par.

Space Pirate Minagi: Persistent, aren't you?

Well, after this long chapter I would say that we're past the halfway point of this story so stick around as the gang's journey continues with a special surprise waiting in the next chapter. As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net

Later, Alighthawk


	11. Space Opera Salad

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

Special Note: If you read the ending of the last chapter, I said that I had a special surprise in store for you readers. So it's my pleasure to introduce my guest writer for this segment of the Trial: William 'ThunderGod' Nichols! Take it away Will! 

The Trial:  by alighthawk Chapter X – "Space Opera Salad" 

Guest written by William 'Thundergod' Nichols

Cullen stood watching as the red contours of Kiyone's Yagami flew away with an incredible roar.  Engine wash eddied around him as the two yellow suns of the GP ships engines blazed into the sky, contrails of white vapor trailing from the ships stub wings.  "Good luck you two," he spoke softly as the Yagami closed in other triple red specks of their assailants' ship.  "And make those 'tards pay for what they've done…" 

"Give me a visual on that ship!" Kiyone barked as she tossed her black field jacket aside and took the right seat of Yagami's bridge. 

"Got it," Mihoshi chimed, brushing the accumulation of snack wrappers and drink cups from her console.  After spacing out for second, the usually ditsy blonde punched the viewer key.  Instantly a contoured screen popped into view in front of them.  Filling the screen was the sinewy, black shape of their attackers' ship, its three red engines blazing evilly as it continued to pull away from the Yagami.

"Why does that look familiar?" Kiyone asked as her hands raced across the console, striking a sequence of keys from memory.  That is what was so comfortable about the Yagami.  Each aspect was built to Kiyone's specifications.  Flying the ship came nearly like a second nature.

"Maybe we saw it on TV somewhere?" Mihoshi asked innocently.

Kiyone opened her mouth to start a retort, when something struck her.  "You're a genius Mihoshi!"

"Um…Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, even more befuddled than normal.

"Hold on," Kiyone said, her right hand once again a blur on the consoles keypad.  Soon a PiP opened in the bottom corner of the main viewer, showing another picture the sleek black vessel trying to evade them.

"The Darktalon," the slightly metallic female computer voice announced, "Winner of the Jurai Galactic Cup for the years beginning M21.518 through M21.523, universal standard."   The pictures flashed through the winning scenes of each race before it turned into a generated three-dimensional schematic.  "Capable of advanced hyper-drive velocities via engineering of unknown origins," the computer continued.  "Believed to use advanced neural interfacing controls to aid in piloting."

Mihoshi shivered at those words as the schematic rotated to a frontal view, giving the Darktalon the look of an angry raptor with its split angular red canopies, beaklike construction and forward swept wings. Sharp, angular sinews covered the ships hull, looking like black latex stretched over toned musculature.  Its three vertical stabilizers fanned out on top while a single strake projected ventrally, sandwiching forward swept wings that looked like scything talons.  Slung under each wingtip was a vortex cannon, each adorned with a deep crimson spirals beginning at the barrels apertures and reaching back to their power matrixes.  A humped torpedo emitter seemed to have been added to the bottom of the ships beak, giving it a sinister air.

"Last confirmed sighting was after the Jurai Cup of M21.523.  It was believed that the ship was to have been retired undefeated from racing and sold to an unknown buyer. Since then the ship has been rumored to be in service of one of the pirate guilds as a contraband runner.  Considered armed and hostile.  Use extreme caution when approaching," the computer finished, the PiP blinking out as it did.

"Open up a hailing channel," Kiyone ordered.

"Coming right up," Mihoshi said in a determined tone.

"This is Galaxy Police detective Makibi," Kiyone spoke across the channel.  "You are to power down and prepare to be boarded."

A tense moment passed with no reply from the Darktalon.  "Do you think they heard us?" Mihoshi said, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

Right as Kiyone was about to repeat her orders another PiP opened in the bottom half of the viewer.  A dark haired man with mirrored sunglasses occupied the front console while a man with flame orange hair with neural interface jacks connected to his cranium sat in the rear position.  "SMOKE YOU!" the gentleman in the front cockpit hollered while flipping the GP's an obscene hand gesture.

"I'd say they heard us," Kiyone sighed as the PiP dissolved. '_They always have to do this the hard way_,' she inwardly groaned.

__

"That aughtta frazz them," Osaka joked to Oto as his neural interfaces fed him raw data straight into his brain.  Tines extending from his fingertips connected him with the Darktalon's controls at an instantaneous level.  Man was machine, and machine was man.

"This will really frazz 'em good," Oto laughed as he plugged an interface jack into the base of his skull to give himself control of the ships weapons systems.  "Bring us around!"

___

"They're coming back!" Mihoshi chimed as the hulk Darktalon swung around in a high graceful arc.

"This isn't good," Kiyone scowled.  Her sensor readouts on the Darktalon were all skewed.  _'They must be using an active stealth matrix,'_ she thought.  _'Just one more thing I can nail on their sorry asses…'_

Both women watched intently as the Darktalon came to bear on them.  "Should I raise shields Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked with a tremble in her voice.  Facing the Darktalon head on now, the ships raptor like construction became even more apparent.  The twin split canopies gleamed like a pair of burning red embers.  Ambient starlight reflected off the ships facets, giving the beak the appearance of a fanged maw.  "Shields, Kiyone?" Mihoshi whimpered again.  Before Kiyone could answer the torpedo emitter under the Darktalon's beak came to life and belched an angry mass of dazzling blue energy at the Yagami.        

"Shit!" Kiyone cursed as she slammed the Yagami hard to port.  The torpedo skidded along the Yagami's hastily thrown up shielding leaving a dark scorch down the ships starboard side.  "Good job," Kiyone complimented of Mihoshi, who was somewhat catatonic.

"Uh-huh," she whimpered as the feeling returned to her fingertips.

Kiyone frowned.  "These guys mean business."  Swinging the Yagami down and around to take them out of the Darktalon's arc of fire, Kiyone sighed.  _'I hate to do this, but we have no other option…'_  "We're going to have to reconfigure," Kiyone stated bluntly.

Mihoshi considered asking Kiyone if they could high tail it out of there at top speed for a moment, but she knew deep down that they had to catch these crooks.  If they knew anything about who set Ryoko up, they had to find out.  "Okay," she said resolutely, putting on her most serious mask.  "We can do it!"

Kiyone grinned.  "Let's get these bastards!"  Reaching down beside her seat she twisted a red 'D' ring and pulled it up until it locked in place with a heavy clink.  Simultaneously Mihoshi and Kiyone reached up to their shoulders and pulled down their restraining harnesses, locking them into place between their legs.  Both kept a mindful eye on the Darktalon as the bridge of the Yagami began to reconfigure.  The bulkhead behind them hissed shut and all life support was bypassed to the bridge, making the rest of the ship uninhabitable.  In combat mode, only the bridge needed to be protected.  Servo's whined as Kiyone's station elevated and swung behind Mihoshi's, changing the decks dual layout to a tandem setting.

Mihoshi adjusted her seat as her station slid over and down as Kiyone's rose behind her.  Control panels rotated up to give her control of all the Yagami's weapons.  Mihoshi put on an eye piece head set that allowed her to visually aim the Yagami's weapons whilst a firing stud popped up for her right hand.  A two paned _Heads Up_ Display rose in front of her main console and a set of green crosshairs blinked on and began to track in concert of with her aim.  "I'm ready!" she chimed.

Kiyone nodded as her controls came online.  "Good," she replied flatly as she toggled the lateral control pedals at her feet.  In her right hand a directional yolk controlled the Yagami's pitch and yaw while a throttle in her left controlled engine performance.  

In less than ten seconds the Yagami's reconfiguration was complete.  Externally the Yagami had changed as well.  The dorsal engine stack had become more compressed to the ships hull, giving the cruiser sleeker lines.  Also the ships winglets had extended and their tips canted down fifteen degrees.  Twin ion cannons dropped down from twin bays under the hull and covers slid back on either side of the hull to reveal multi-rowed missile batteries.  Yagami was now a true weapons platform.   

"It's gonna be hard to keep track on them," Mihoshi stated as a fact.

"I know," Kiyone replied grimly.  "I know."

___

"Looks like those GP bitches wanna play!" Oto said with a sick guffaw.

Osaka grinned wildly.  "That out of date piece of GP shit can't hold a candle to the Darktalon!"  The pilot laughed at his own joke, as did Oto.  Osaka's eyes were glazed over as his neural uplinks fed the raw images from the ships sensors directly into his optical nerves.  The other connections implanted into his nervous system allowed him to control the Darktalon with as little as a thought or glance.  This system had its inherent dangers and most militaries and agencies chose not to use it for those risks.  But to those brave or stupid enough to risk it, it gave a distinct advantage.

"Say Oto!" Osaka called out as he postured the Darktalon for an attack run.  "If those GP bitches survive, lets have our way wiff 'em before we off 'em!"

"I like that idea," Oto grinned.  Anything to add insult to that damned wench Ryoko's injuries was fair game in his book.  Oto's grin broadened as the retinal crosshair from his neural hookup locked onto the Yagami.  "Let's see how they like this!"

___

Kiyone grunted as she jinked the Yagami hard to starboard then to port to as bright blue fingers reached out from the Darktalon's vortex cannons to lash out at them.  "Damn they're quick!" she cursed at the Darktalon looped beneath them and came up on their tail again.  The Darktalon was quick.  Damn quick.  And what made that sinking feeling in Kiyone's gut even heavier was the fact that she knew they were being toyed with.  Yagami was no match for any ship with those capabilities.

Mihoshi was doing her best to keep from hyperventilating.  Each time Kiyone could manage to close the gap or maneuver behind the Darktalon it would quickly flit away just as Mihoshi could squeeze off a shot from the Yagami's ion cannons.  All of her fears and insecurities were bubbling up to a head right now, but she kept telling her self she would not break.  She had to be as strong as Ryoko.  _Strength.  That was one lesson she had learned from Ryoko over the years, and she would not fail her friends.  Mihoshi winced as once again the Darktalon flew out of her sights just as she could get a shot off._

"Come on!" Kiyone growled to no one in general as she wrenched the Yagami in a high g turn that caused the grav generators on the bridge to whine as they struggled to compensate.

"I'm tryin'!" Mihoshi said somewhat annoyed, suspecting that the gripe was aimed at her.  

"It's not you," Kiyone grunted as she cut the throttle back and hammered hard to starboard, sending the Yagami spiraling down and away from another salvo.  

Mihoshi gave a quick nod as the Darktalon briefly reappeared in her crosshairs.  "I got them!" she exclaimed as a shot glanced off the Darktalon's stabilizer.

_'First blood,'_ Kiyone thought as the Darktalon quickly banked and pulled into an inverted loop, rolling one hundred eighty degrees as it did so.  "Good work," she complimented to bolster Mihoshi's confidence, but she knew that it was going to take more than a lucky glance to bring the Darktalon down.     

___

"How much damage?" Oto barked as Osaka brought the Darktalon back to the vertical.

"Five percent degrade of flight controls," he hissed.  "Bitch got lucky."

"See that it does not happen again," the gunner growled as the crosshairs on his retinal sight tracked onto the Yagami.  "Now let's see how you like it!"   Oto laughed wildly as the torpedo emitter under the Darktalon's beak belched a series of torpedoes at the banking Yagami.  Warp eddies streamed from the Galaxy Police cruisers winglets as it banked hard to avoid the torpedoes.  Oto frowned as a glistening puff of chaff fired from a counter measure array on the Yagami's fantail skewed two of the torpedoes guidance systems and sent them tumbling into one another.

"Ugh," he grunted as the gunner on the GP ship managed to glance the remaining torpedo with a hail of laser fire.  _'These two are not your ordinary cops,' _he thought as Osaka mimicked the Yagami's maneuvers.  _'Either they are top agents or just damned lucky.'_  With his free hand Oto punched a series of commands on his console.  Instantly the ships AI cross-referenced the image of the red GP cruiser with its memory banks and fed the data to his optical link.  "Fuck me," he breathed as the file photos of Kiyone and Mihoshi were displayed with a run down of their careers and their involvement in the Kagato Uprising on Jurai.  "You see this shit?" he asked Osaka as he let loose another burst of superheated plasma from the ships vortex cannons.

"I see," Osaka replied, still looking straight ahead.  "This will be more fun than I thought it would!"

"Loads," Oto growled.  He hated GP's with a passion.  Having the chance to humiliate two of the force's finest was an added bonus to this gig.  _'And when I'm done with them I'll mail what's left back to the GP!'_

___

Cullen looked up from his pint of ale at the _Outlaw Blues_.  The first two pints had gone along way to helping him not think about the emerald haired GP that had fallen onto this rock he called home and just as suddenly left him.  _'At least we had one night together,'_ he chuckled fondly to himself.  Taking a slug of the amber ale, Cullen savored its crisp nature and tried to force Kiyone from his mind.

"Check this!" one of the establishment's more rowdy patrons called out above the tavern's usual rancor.

"Totally sweet!" another patron cried out.

"Huh?" Cullen mumbled, swiveling on his bar stool to see the growing crowd around the five-meter video screen that adorned the taverns back wall.  The static snow faded as a slender man fiddled with the array of tiny knobs at the sets base.  Soon the image of two ships dueling in the inter-planetary lanes came into focus.  Such things were not uncommon around this rock.  The planetary sensor array usually picked up on them quickly and sent real time feeds back to the surface, just for this reason: cheap entertainment.  "Oh shit," he mumbled as the black raptor-like ship made another pass on the red cruiser.

"Some one run the board!" a fellow called out.  Cullen watched as two columns were quickly chalked off on a slate and the odds laid out for the two ships.  One column bore the title 'Darktalon' and the other 'Yagama.'

"It's 'Yagami'," Cullen breathed over the top of his ale.  A bald fellow with round spectacles and a crooked nose smeared the offensive 'A' from the board with the heel of his hand and placed the proper vowel in its place.

"I herez dat da reddin' iz a GeePee," a rather burly chap with curly mop of red hair and beard said as he bellied up next to Cullen.  His soiled brown tunic and leather vest reeked of several different types of booze, each adding its distinctive scent to his bouquet.  

"Maybe," the pirate breathed over the top of his tankard as he watched the Yagami spiral down then loops out of the way of a salvo from the Darktalon.  Cullen inhaled sharply as a spider web of energy latticed out on the Yagami's shielding from another torpedo impact.  A dark finger reached up the hull from the point of impact.  _'You have to be more careful!' _Cullen mentally chided the Yagami.

"Iz hatez GeePee'z," the man growled.

"To each his own," Cullen said, non-confrontationally.

"Wellz Iz hopez muh boyz in da Darktalon spankz 'em good!" he bellowed with a deep guffaw.  Cullen bit his tongue as others slapped the portly chap on the back and seconded his disdain for the Galaxy Police.  A chorus of cheers erupted as the Darktalon landed a series of ion cannon blasts on the Yagami's hull sending splinters of red ceramite spiraling off into the void.  "Double me bet on da Darktalon!" Red hooted after the Darktalon's shots.  "Hundert towlsand ducats!"

"I'd rethink that," Cullen said calmly, his voice betraying his rising ire.

"Frazz dat!" Red laughed slapping Cullen heartedly on the back, causing the pirate to spill some of his ale.

"Are you sure?" Cullen asked again, setting his tankard on the bar.

"Yeah!" Red snorted as the Yagami barely slipped past a torpedo barrage.  "I'd be frazzin' stupit not ta!"

"Suit yourself," Cullen sighed before he decked Red square on the jaw.  Everyone fell quiet as the portly pirate toppled over backwards.  "Triple my bet on the Yagami," Cullen said loud enough for everyone to hear.  "One million ducats."  The bookie nodded and marked Cullen's bet on the slate.  "Anyone else care to rethink their bets?" he asked as the barkeep slid him a fresh tankard of ale.   

"Make mine the Yagami!" someone rang out, which was quickly followed by a chorus of others seconding his lead.

_'Come on you two!' _Cullen thought as he watched the Yagami take a momentary advantage over the Darktalon and land a few solid shots from her cannons.  _'Take these bastards out and save Ryoko!  I know you can do it!'_

____

"Dammit!" Kiyone cursed as she punched the throttle to the Yagami's engines and rolled violently to starboard before pulling the ship into the vertical.  No matter what she did, the Darktalon managed to stay on her backside like Ryo-ohki on a carrot.  "Be ready," Kiyone warned Mihoshi as an idea popped into her head.  The blonde mop in front of her nodded quickly in response.  _'She's really done well,'_ Kiyone thought, _'let's just hope this works.'_

"Now!" Kiyone ordered as she cut the throttle to one-third and dropped the Yagami vertically fifty meters.  The grav generators in the bridge throbbed as the two were pushed up in their seat restraints by the negative g's being exerted upon them.

Mihoshi pressed the firing studs for the ion cannons and missile rails right as the Darktalon sped overhead.  The Darktalon's pilot realized the maneuver and tried to compensate, but he could not avoid the entire flurry Mihoshi unleashed upon him.  Several ion pulses struck true and one missile managed to get close enough for its proximity fuse to detonate.  "I got them!"  Mihoshi chirped as the Darktalon emerged from the billow of orange flame that consumed its hindquarters.

"Good shot," Kiyone complimented, seeing that one of the Darktalon's vertical stabilizers was damaged.  "That ought to even the field a little," she smiled as the Darktalon turned sluggishly to come back around at them.  The ship was still quick, but this just might be the advantage they needed.

__

"Frazz it!" Oto screamed as static washed over his tactical displays from the electromagnetic pulse created by the Yagami's torpedo.

"Maneuvering's degraded twenty percent," Osaka hissed as he rerouted subroutines at the speed of thought.  "I'm powering up the manual controls if needed," he said, not hiding the disdain for such archaic devices in his voice.

"I'm gonna skin that bitch gunner alive!" Oto growled.  _'And each scream I'll savor finer than Terrellian whiskey.'_   "After I have my way with her of course," he added for good measure.

Data splashed across Osaka's eyes.  "They almost have parity," he warned as the still deadly nimble Darktalon felt sluggish to his commands.  "But I think we still have the upper hand," he added after calculating the new maneuvering algorithms.  "Not by much though."  

"Get fancy on them," Oto laughed.

A fanged grin spread across Osaka's face.  "My pleasure."   Instantly he pitched the Darktalon's bow upwards and applied full thrust.  The view screen showed the Yagami trying to match the maneuver, but the larger ship was not as agile as the Darktalon in the vertical, and Osaka new this.  Kicking the lateral thrusters in opposite directions, Osaka pirouetted the Darktalon.  Bleeding off just enough speed, he then punched the dorsal bow thrusters, dropping the Darktalon's nose down as the Yagami tried to pull out of its climb.  Firing at near point blank range, the Darktalon's vortex cannons unleashed a torrent of blue energy beams onto the Yagami's upper surfaces.

"Yeah!" Oto cried out as the Yagami momentarily tumbled before its pilot regained control.  His readout told him the GP cruiser shields were down eighteen percent after that blast and that one of its weapons arrays was offline.  "Good flyin'," he complimented of Osaka.

"Child's play," the pilot laughed.  "They're gonna love thissin!" Osaka laughed maniacally as he punched the Darktalon through a series of maneuvers that an un-augmented person could not endure.  Porpoising, the Darktalon executed a series of sharp dives and climbs, jerking violently to starboard then to port as it did.  The erratic moves had the desired affect.  The Yagami would over compensate with each porpoise, allowing Oto to squeeze off a few shots at the cruisers vulnerable flanks.  Some overshot the Yagami, but a precious few stayed the course.

___

Sparks showered Kiyone's consoles as a conduit ruptured momentarily overhead.  Ever since they scored their last hit, the Darktalon's pilot had become more aggressive, and their gunner had landed a few well-placed shots allowing to pirate ship to close the advantage Kiyone and Mihoshi momentarily enjoyed.  _'He's damned good,'_ Kiyone thought as she tried to muscle the Yagami back into firing position.  _'Poor Mihoshi,'_ she added, noticing the back of the blondes jacket was soaked with perspiration.   _'I owe her big when this is over…'_ Kiyone smirked as she jinked the Yagami away from another torpedo.  _'If we survive this that is…'_

'Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm…' was the mantra Mihoshi repeated over and over to herself.  She was glad Kiyone could not see her face right now.  Silent tears streaked her makeup.  She knew Kiyone would yell at her to suck it up, but she was being as strong as she could be.  Mihoshi inhaled sharply as a cut on her forehead began to sting even more sharply from the sweat that matted her curls to her brow.  Everything seemed to be aimed at breaking her concentration.  Reflexively she squeezed off a shot at the Darktalon, which lashed out at the black ships port quarter, striking true.     

A burst of white-hot flame erupted from the corsair and a chunk of one the raptor like ships vertical fins spun wildly towards the Yagami.  Kiyone yanked the controls to port, to avoid the detritus, but the damages maneuvering thrusters made the move very sluggishly.  "Dammit!" Kiyone cursed as the debris clipped the tip of the Yagami's stub wing.  None of the shots from the Yagami seem to do any major damage to the Darktalon, but they were slowly winning the battle.  Somehow, buy luck or skill, Mihoshi kept hitting the ships control systems or surfaces.  The nimble racer was now just about at parity with the larger GP cruiser.  _'Too bad she can't hit their guns!'_ Kiyone thought as she dodged a series of cannon bursts. A sideways glance at a blinking master light did nothing to ease her tensions.  _'Not good…'_ Kiyone realized as the light kept blinking.  _'Not good at all…'_

___

Tenchi sighed as he leaned back against a magnificent oak in the Saibankan's arboretum.  If one thing could be credited to the Jurai, it was their love of nature.  So much so that even the most austere military ships such as the Saibankan had an arboretum that made the Emperor's garden in Tokyo at the old Edo castle pale in comparison.  The gentle babble of the brook that split the garden washed away the ships normal noises and the hum of the artificial lighting.   

Things were happening too fast.  And even though he knew where his heart laid now, the certainty of that future was as diaphanous as spider silk, but nowhere near as strong.  Time flows like the babbling little brook, never staying in the same place for long, and never to revisit the same place twice.  Already his moments with Ryoko were fleeting, and the number he would have in the future been not discernable.  _'I will protect her,'_ he sternly thought.  _'Even if I have to fight the whole damned Juraian empire, I will protect her.  I will protect…I will protect my love…'_

Tenchi raised his head at the sound of Azaka clearing his throat behind him.  "Hmm?" 

"Lord Tenchi," the knight began, offering a short bow.

"Grandpa, Azaka?" Tenchi asked, rising from his spot of pondering.  "What is it?" he asked, noting the glum expressions they wore.

"There is a matter we need to discuss with you," Katsuhito began.  "Walk with us," the old priest asked, laying an aged hand on Tenchi's shoulder.

"Okay," Tenchi agreed, keeping step with his grandfather as they began to walk the little stone path that wound its way through the preserve, following the brooks lie.  "So what's the matter?"

"This will not be easy," Katsuhito sighed, seeing a small patch of royal teardrops in bloom.

"No it is not," Azaka seconded from a pace behind the one and future princes.

"All right," Tenchi tried to laugh.  "What's going on here?"

"There is a condition that must be met before we land on Jurai," Azaka plainly stated.

"What kind of condition?"

"Ryoko will not be allowed to leave the ship in her current state," Katsuhito elaborated.

"What do you mean her 'current state'?" Tenchi demanded.

"She will have to wear this," Azaka explained, pulling a gunmetal collar from his robes.  "It will neutralize her powers."

"She's not going to try to escape!" Tenchi exclaimed.

"We know that," Katsuhito said, trying to calm his grandson.  "But the senate will not allow her to step foot on Jurai with her powers."

Tenchi shook her head.  "Is there any other option?"

"The only other option is that she be placed in stasis till the time of her trial," Azaka said.  "And by doing that, it will only further entrench the public's belief that she is a vicious murderer that can only be controlled by such means."

Tenchi stepped away from his grandfather and friend.  So many things were running through his head.  Part of him wanted to escape with Ryoko right here and now, live their lives on the run.  _'At least we would be together.'_ But her also knew that they would be hunted for the rest of their days.   _'Why did I have to be such a fool?  Why did I have to lose my cool that night…'_

"Lord Tenchi," Azaka began slowly, "Ryoko has consented to the collar already, but only if you consent as well."

Tenchi wrenched his eyes shut, trying to block the world from his mind.  All he wanted to focus on was Ryoko, and her alone.  Silent tears streaked Tenchi's face as he gathered the courage to speak.  "Let…" he croaked, "let me be the one to take that thing to her, please?"

"I think that will suffice," Katsuhito said, to a nod from Azaka.  "Azaka my old friend, will your escort Tenchi back to Ryoko?"

"Of course my lord."

"I have a matter I must attend to," Katsuhito spoke as he left Tenchi and Azaka alone.

"Thank you for telling this to me personally," Tenchi said as Azaka patted him on the back.

"I wouldn't have done it any other way lord Tenchi," Azaka sighed.  "Times are about to become incredibly difficult for you, and once the media catches wind of your and Ryoko's relationship, it will become a circus."

"I know," Tenchi answered, dreading the slander and humiliation he knew would be spewed towards his love.  

"You will have to be strong," Azaka continued as they left the arboretum and headed back towards the sickbay.  The dark metallic walls of the ship proper stood in stark contrast to the lively greens of the preserve; the difference between that which is alive and that which is not.  "Not only for Ryoko and the Princess, but for your own sake."

"I understand," Tenchi sighed.  _'But it will be hard…' _The rest of the walk was spent in silence.  Only the echo of their respective footfalls broke the sanctity of the silence.

"She is waiting for you," Azaka said, stopping short of the sickbay doors.

"That's the hard part," Tenchi said forlornly.

"You will need this milord," Azaka added solemnly as he once again produced the negator collar from his robes.

"Thank you," Tenchi said, almost a whisper.

"I will see to it you are not disturbed."

"Thank you," Tenchi croaked, trying to steel his resolve as much as possible.  But deep down he knew the sight of Ryoko would be enough to break his heart.  _'That is what makes love so hard,'_ he thought.  _'Kami, watch over me…'_ Tenchi swallowed hard and held the collar behind his back as he sniffed his tears back best he could.  Straightening himself, Tenchi stepped forward enough for the doors proximity sensors to detect his presence.  The doors slid open with a hydraulic hiss, giving him access to the sickbay.

Ryoko looked up from where she was sitting on the bedside the instant the doors slid open.  She had caught scent of Tenchi's pheromones from outside the door, and could tell from them his emotional state was not well.  She knew that he had been told about the collar, and that he probably did not take it very well.  What she did not expect was for him to fall to his knees in tears as soon as the sickbay doors hissed closed behind him.

Instantly the pirate reappeared in front of Tenchi, cradling him.  His head rested on her shoulder as he sobbed quietly.  Ryoko allowed a few tears to streak her face as she rubbed Tenchi's back.  She was traditionally the strong one in the family, but right now none of them seemed terribly strong.

"I'm sorry," Tenchi squeaked through his waves of guilt and grief.

"It's okay," Ryoko tried to soothe.   "It's okay dear…"

"No it's not," Tenchi lamented.  _'Here I am supposed to be strong, and I break down right in front of her…'_

"Let all out," Ryoko whispered in his ear.  "Don't keep this all pent up, or it will eat you alive and get you when you really don't want it to…"

Tenchi saw the wisdom in her words, but is seemed hollow to him.  It would take everything in his being to keep from doing this every time he saw her berated or slandered on the news, and the gods only knew what vile would be issued forth at the trial, trying to further demonize the woman he loved.  "Always the strong one," Tenchi sniffed. 

"Yeah that's me," Ryoko replied weakly.  "But even I need someone to be strong for me at times," she sniffed.

"I will be there," Tenchi said, drawing her closer to him.  "I may not be the best at it," he tried to joke, "but I will be there."

"That's all I ask."

Tenchi just held Ryoko there on the floor as his tears dried.  He stroked her back as he began to gently rock back and forth.  He would be her rock.  He would protect her at all costs.  He would be there for her when no one else would.  He loved her, and that was all that mattered to him.

"I take it Azaka and the old man found you," she finally spoke, breaking the stillness of the medical bay.

"Yeah," Tenchi croaked, not wanting to remember that conversation.

"Just be by my side," Ryoko begged.  "I know how these people eat up scandal…they love to parade people suspected of crimes in front of the media."

Tenchi choked back his tears.  He had feared that such a thing would happen judging on what Ayeka and his grandfather had told him of the Juraian legal system.  He also knew that unless one of them held sway, Ryoko would be appointed the most inept public defender in the empire.  Her fate would be sealed the moment the trial began, biased by a bigoted media, and a jury out for blood.  Again the thought of running right then and there crossed Tenchi's mind, one man and his love against an entire galactic empire.  _'How does it go?'_ he thought.  _'Love conquers all?'_

"You okay?" Ryoko asked, noting the dower look that Tenchi wore like a mask.

"I'll be there," he said, cupping his hands around her face and tenderly kissing her on the lips.  "I'll always be there for you."

"I know," Ryoko said, wrapping her arms around him and drawing him closer than she thought she ever could.

"I love you," Tenchi breathed into her ear before he began to nibble on her earlobe. 

"Uh-huh," Ryoko purred.  

"I truly do," Tenchi added.  

"Stop it before you make me cry again," Ryoko teased.  "It ruins my tough bitch image."

"You're not a bitch," Tenchi said softly, moving his kisses from her earlobe down the side of her neck.  "Not to me…"

"If you make me cry again," she teased again.

"You'll do what?" Tenchi breathed.

"This."  Ryoko pulled his face back up to level with hers and kissed Tenchi firmly on the lips.  It did not take long for the embrace to become heated.  Each was more than eager to explore their newfound passions for one another, and the dire circumstances of the situation, only added to the urgency.

"Stay with me," Ryoko begged, as Tenchi began to caress her breast through her blouse.  "Please…"

"Always," he replied.  Slowly, gently he tilted her head back up to eye level.  "I will always be with you," he said softly.

"How long?" she asked, not wanting to know the answer.

Tenchi knew instantly what she was talking about.  It was something he had been dreading for days now.  "In a few hours," he said quietly.

"So this could be our last moments alone," Ryoko sighed.  

"We will have plenty of moments alone," Tenchi assured her.  "When this is all over I'm bringing you home to Okayama with me."

"Make love to me again."  It was not a request, nor was it an order.  It was an understanding.  Tenchi just smiled as he kissed Ryoko again.  It was a deep, passionate kiss.  Both of them wanted this, needed this.   Soft moans escaped Ryoko's lips as Tenchi began to unbutton her blouse.

"I love you," he said throatily.  The fiery look in Ryoko's eyes evidenced her answer.

"Oh gods…" Azaka moaned as he rested his forehead in the palm of his hand.  _'I am going to make a formal request to the Minister of Defense that all med bays be sound shielded!'_   Shaking his head, the grey knight leaned back against the opposing bulkhead in an attempt to distance himself as much as possible from the amorous vocalizations arising from the medical bay.  "I just hope they do not hear this on other decks," he sighed…

­­___

Kiyone gritted her teeth as the Yagami's grav generators over compensated for the turn she had just pulled.  Exhaling under three times her normal weight, she muscled the damaged cruiser back into a line of fire.  By luck or by skill, Mihoshi had been able to steadily chip away at the Darktalon's superior maneuverability.  Each shot, which never seemed to strike a cannon port or torpedo emitter; always hit the corsairs control systems and surfaces.   

While this was all and good, Kiyone knew that they were steadily losing this battle.  A master alarm light still glared at her angrily from the console at the upper right.  And next to it, a propellant gage slowly ticked lower.  They were bleeding oxidant, and if they did not end this soon, they would be dead in the water, and easy pickings.

___

"They're bleedin'!" Oto barked as the Yagami maneuvered away from a salvo, trailing a wake of gleaming crystals.

"Oxidant," Osaka sneered, the raw data from the ships sensors being fed directly into his processor augmented cortex.    

"They'll be dead in the water soon enough!" Oto howled.  "Get me behind them!"

"Easy 'nuff,' Osaka laughed.  Jerking the manual controls in conjunction with his sensory augmentation, he pitched the raider down and to port while gunning the throttles. Seemingly spinning on the vertical axis, Osaka whipped the Darktalon behind the beleaguered Yagami. 

"Let's have some fireworks!" Oto laughed as he depressed the firing stud to the Darktalon's vortex cannons.  The Yagami wrenched away from the arc of fire, but Osaka managed to keep the Darktalon's port cannon in range.  A bright blue streak caught the tail wisp of the oxidant trail, and ignited it in a billowing purple inferno. 

Both corsairs howled in perverse delight as the Yagami was tossed and buffeted on the resulting shock wave.  The once mighty police cruiser was now floundering in the wake of its ignited propellant.

"They frazzed now!" Oto sickly laughed.  "They frazzed now!"

___

"Shit!" Kiyone cursed as the Yagami tumbled through the void.  Warning lights and klaxons were blinking on faster than she could she could turn them off.

Mihoshi held her hands to her ears, trying to balance her equilibrium and make the high pitched ringing stop.  Once the ringing stopped, Mihoshi noticed it had been replaced by a static hiss.  All around her displays and screens were crashing.  "What's happening?" she asked, desperately trying to stave off the inevitable.

"They got most of our sensor array," Kiyone answered as her readout screens one by one blinked from active to static snow.  What few sensors that did remain online, were fragmented, and their information was of little consequence to Kiyone.

"So basically…" Mihoshi sniffed as the lights dimmed in the sensor-deprived cockpit.

"We're blind," Kiyone replied grimly.  The Yagami rocked as another barrage from the Darktalon impacted her stern shields.  The few remaining readouts were for such things as shields and propulsion.  All the tactical displays were off line, as were the IFF and navigation screens.  "We have to see out."  Kiyone watched as the blonde bob of Mihoshi's hair nodded in front of her.  The only option left to them was to jettison the front armor and use the cockpit's crystal dome as an old fashioned canopy.  It was dangerous, but it was the only option left open to them.

Kiyone inhaled deeply as her fingers laced around the armor jettison handle.  In a swift motion she pulled it up, snapping the safety pin.  With a low metallic clink the magnetic servos let go of the cockpit armor and small peroxide jets hissed in the hard vacuum as they pushed the red ceramite dome away from the Yagami.  

Under other circumstances the natural view of space offered by the crystal dome would be considered extraordinary.  The vast sweep of the Milky Way extended above them in curved bands of deep violet and crimson, dotted by a myriad sea of ageless stars.

In front of them they could see the red glow of the Darktalon's star drive exhausts as it began to swing around for another run.  Kiyone knew she had to be especially cautious now.  All that separated her and Mihoshi from the hard vacuum of space was a quarter inch of juraian crystal and a micrometer thick force field.  Kiyone allowed herself a small smile.  _'If they weren't trying to kill us,'_ she laughed to herself, _'this might be fun.'_

Mihoshi stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she tried to concentrate on the erratically moving form of the Darktalon.  The minimal sensors she had left were slowing in tracking the evasive pirate ship.  The crosshairs would lag a second behind the Darktalon as the impaired computers tried to keep pace.  Each time Mihoshi would squeeze off a shot, the black corsair easily evaded it.  Without the tactical and targeting arrays functioning properly, she was too slow to keep up with the pirate ship.  _'There is a way,'_ a small voice said in the back of her mind as the Darktalon slipped past another salvo and unleashed one of its own.  _'No…'_ Mihoshi replied.  _'Not again…never again…'_

Kiyone blinked as she saw the terrified look on Mihoshi's face reflected on the crystal.  Her partner and friend were obviously fighting an inner daemon to keep her composure.  The look on Mihoshi's face worsened as another of her salvos was unleashed too late to strike home.  Kiyone could not fault her though.  She was leading the Darktalon the best she could without sensors.  Her shots were well aimed, but the corsair had the upper hand right now.  Kiyone felt a chill run up her spine as Mihoshi's eyes glazed over.  _'She can't be…'_

"I don't wanna…" Mihoshi whimpered to herself as yet another barrage she let loose flew wide of its intended mark.  "I don't wanna…"

Kiyone grimaced as her thoughts were violently returned to the Darktalon by the blue blur of a torpedo streaking a scant few meters over the canopy.  She knew for certain what Mihoshi was thinking of doing, and it terrified her.   There was a reason the Galaxy Police and other military organizations in the Juraian Empire and protectorates did not use interface technologies like the Darktalon employed.  It was inherently dangerous, especially to the poor soul jacked into the ship's AI.  The slightest power surge and the operatives' neural pathways could be fried, or even worse.  

Kiyone again saw the look of abject terror on Mihoshi's face.  It was after a mass fleet action against a pirate guild seventy years ago that the civilized systems finally banned neural interfacing in military vessels.  Three thousand Galaxy Police officers and military personnel were either killed or permanently incapacitated in some form or another when the pirate guild detonated a white dwarf star to create an electromagnetic pulse.  No one knew how many of their own were sacrificed that day, but the corsairs escaped the armada in the confusion that followed.   The armada was too concerned with their own casualties to give chase.  One of those casualties was detective, junior grade, Mihoshi Kuramitsu.  

"Don't even think of it Mihoshi!" Kiyone growled.  "We'll get these bastards or die trying!"

Mihoshi sniffed loudly.  "We hafta help Ryoko…" she squeaked as more of her shots flew wide of the Darktalon.   Another sensor screen blinked out to her left, and the targeting display lagged even further behind the Darktalon.

"And we are!"  Kiyone exclaimed, jerking her controls hard to port to dodge a burst of ion cannon fire.

"I can do it!" Mihoshi announced, trying to quell her innermost daemons.  "And I'm gonna!"

"Mihoshi no!" Kiyone barked as she watched Mihoshi reach behind her neck and slid a panel open on her seat.  In a flash she had extended the tine and its connecting cable and inserted it in the base of her neck.

Mihoshi never heard Kiyone's scream of admonition.  Her ears filled with a white static hiss as once fused pathways and synapses were forced open.  Binary raced across Mihoshi's eyes as her brain was forced to react in ways it had not in seven decades.  Kiyone watched as her partner's hands became a peach colored blur as she worked her console.  Systematically Mihoshi was rerouting what ever she could at the neural level.

"They're coming around!" Kiyone shouted as he controls went dead.

"I am aware," Mihoshi's voice replied from the cockpit speaker system.  Kiyone cringed at the metallic grate the voice had compared to the chipper squeak Mihoshi usually bubbled.

_'Mihoshi…'_ Kiyone inwardly moaned as she watched the Darktalon begin its run through the crystal dome.  Deftly, they dodged the first barrage, but the second clipped their starboard stub wing.  Blue electricity rolled along the sides of the cockpit and crystal before concentrating on Mihoshi.

"_Mihoshi! Mihoshi!_" Kiyone barked as she saw her partners' eyes go blank in the canopies reflections.  _'Not again…'_                 

_'I can do this,'_ Mihoshi repeated inwardly as she fought to maintain control of her senses.  Every inch of her body felt like it was on fire.  The stinging was nearly unbearable and her instincts wanted her to screw her eyes shut in pain.  But she kept them open as the Darktalon swung around.  _'Now!'_ she cried mentally as the remaining weapon systems locked onto the Darktalon's drive section and unleashed all their pent up fury.  

Coruscating fingers of incandescent flame cascaded from the stricken corsair as large, sinewy chunks of blackened hull splintered forth.  Kiyone felt her controls tighten as Mihoshi slumped in the gunners' chair in front of her.  Acrid smoke rose in thin wisps   from her clothes and hair. "Oh gods…" Kiyone mumbled, fearing the worst.  Her worries faded as a small cough squeaked from Mihoshi and a shaky hand reached back to pull the tine from the back of her neck.

"Ouch!" Mihoshi whimpered as the feeling returned to her extremities.  All over she felt like thousands of pins were prickling her.

"That was the single most stupid thing I've ever seen you do!" Kiyone growled with a bit of a sigh.

"I'm sorry…" Mihoshi whimpered.  She knew that Kiyone would be angry with her, especially since they both knew the risks that were involved.  

"But it was also the bravest thing I have ever seen," Kiyone added.

"Really?" Mihoshi asked, not sure if Kiyone was serious or not.

"Yeah, really," Kiyone smiled back at her partner, "Just don't ever do it again."  A thud over the cockpit's speakers diverted their attention back to the tumbling Darktalon.  A secondary generator had just exploded, sending more splinters of the disabled corsair into the void.  "Let's nail these guys," Kiyone said with a wicked grin.

"Right!" Mihoshi chirped, her chipper self returned.  

____

"Pay up!" Cullen laughed as wads of bills and stacks of coins were slid towards him.  "The smell of victory! He bellowed after fanning a bunch of the paper money under his nose.  "I'm buying everyone a round!"  A chorus of rose up from the motley patrons of the _Outlaw Blues _as each ordered their favorite draught.

"Uuuuugggggh…" Cullen heard from behind him as the red bearded chap he had decked earlier finally began to stir again.  "Whut happen'd?" Red asked, rubbing his tender jaw.  "Whut I'd miss?"  Cullen just grinned as he heard a string of explicatives in several languages being spewed behind him.  Obviously Red had just seen the images of the shattered Darktalon hanging listlessly in space; the neon glow of a space billboard proclaiming _'Eat at Joes'_ reflected off its obsidian hull.

"Looks like you should have changed your bet," Cullen said, offering Red a hand to help him to his feet.

"Yeh," the portly buccaneer moaned, still holding his jaw.  "Wellz, dem da breaks."

"Have one on me friend," Cullen said with a smile, sliding Red a frothed tankard.

"Tankz," Red said, taking a chug of the ale.  "Youz allz right in muh book."

"No problem at all," Cullen laughed.  "No problem at all."

___

"Frazzin' bitches!" Oto growled as he tried to manipulate his console with one hand.  When the ship's power grid went down, the shock and EM pulse had wrecked his neural implants, leaving his left arm paralyzed, but he got off easy.  Osaka did not have time to disconnect from the ships systems.  His blackened corpse wad draped over the charred remnants of his console.  Putrid, foul smelling smoke rose from his desiccated husk.

"Frazzin' bitches…" Oto hissed again as his one remaining view screen showed the Yagami swinging around.

_"Prepare to be boarded!"_ came across the ships comm. system amid a wash of static.

Oto grinned.  He just wished that he could send a message to them, properly showing his disdain for the authority they represented, but his outgoing comm. links were all fried.  "This'll have to do instead," he half laughed, half coughed.  A small timer rotated up in front of him and began to countdown from one hundred-eighty seconds.

____

"Take it slow," Kiyone said as Mihoshi began the boarding pre-check.

"Uh-huh," Mihoshi nodded as she made her way through the list.  Her butt was numb and her fingers felt all tingly, but apart from that she felt fine considering her ordeal.

"One hundred meters," Kiyone called out, making sure Mihoshi was at the appropriate portion of the list.

"External mag-clamps online," Mihoshi replied in response.

_'Spot on,'_ Kiyone thought as a white puff of peroxide was vented from one of the Yagami's thrusters.  "Fifty meters-" she began before the cockpit comm. system was filled with an earsplitting howl.

"Chow-woooooooooo!" erupted through the cockpit a beam of yellow energy sliced the reeling Darktalon in two, before a ball of red and purple flame engulfed the remains.

"What in the blue hell?!" Kiyone screamed as the explosion buffeted the Yagami.   Finally she wrestled the Yagami back to some semblance of level flight.    

"Look!" Mihoshi chimed, pointing to the spiked metallic blue form of Ken-ohki de-cloaking.

"Oh great…" Kiyone moaned.   "Nagi…"

"You could show some gratitude to the person who just saved your lives," the bounty hunter laughed as her face popped onto the Yagami's remaining data screens. 

"What?" Kiyone barked.  "Those two were under arrest!"

"They had activated their self destruct," the huntress calmly announced.  

Kiyone deadpanned.  They had no external sensors, so Nagi could be telling the truth.  _'Besides, if she wanted the bounty on these guys' heads, why kill them?'_

"I'll give you a hand," Nagi said coolly, "for a price."

Kiyone did not like Nagi's smile.  It reminded her too much of the one Ryoko would give when she was up to no good.  "I guess we have to trust you," Kiyone sighed begrudgingly.  _'Whether I like it or not…' _

___

Tenchi sighed sadly as Ryoko squeezed his hand in hers.  The Saibankan was about to settle down onto the octagonal landing platform adjacent to the royal judiciary arbiters' precinct.  The Saibankan rocked gently as its thrusters broke their descent and flared the ships nose up slightly as her arachnid like planet-fall legs extended.  A low, rumbling metallic groan creaked through the ship and the mammoth ship hunkered down on its legs and the engines began to run down.  Tenchi stiffened a group of armed men in rigid blue-black uniforms clanked into the nave where Tenchi, Ryoko, and the rest of their extended family were waiting.  Gunmetal gray mauls hung from their wastes and black steel riot shields were slung over one shoulder.

"I am Constable Janus Krieg," the man in the center said flatly in a cold, icy baritone.  His platinum flattop and steel blue eyes stood in stark contrast to his dark togs.  "I am to take the murderess and pirate Ryoko into custody until it's time for her trial."

"I present the accused," The Saibankan's captain said, snapping Constable Krieg a sharp salute.

"I see the negator collar is in place," Krieg said coolly, checking Ryoko from head to toe.  "Where are her shackles?"

"What shackles?" Tenchi said a little too anxiously than he would have liked.

"All accused criminals must be shackled when they set foot onto Juraian soil," Krieg spoke as a subordinate of his stepped forward with a pair of wrist and ankle restraints.

"You said nothing about shackles!" Tenchi spat towards his grandfather and Azaka.  His indignation was getting the better of him, and could potentially make the situation worse.

"It's okay," Ryoko said, placing a calming hand on his shoulder.   

"Remember what I said about strength," Azaka whispered into his prince's ear.  Tenchi bit his tongue and forced his ire down as far as he could. 

"For-r-r-r-m guard!" Krieg barked as his men formed a barricade around Ryoko.  

"Not without me," Tenchi said, slipping beside Ryoko.

"As the prince sees fit," Krieg said as one of his men stepped forward to remove Tenchi.

"Thank you," Ryoko sighed as Tenchi took her hand.  The noise was tremendous as the egress ramp descended from the Saibankan's hull.  The brightness of the Juraian day washed over Tenchi and Ryoko as they stepped forward towards their destiny.

___

"Say Washu!" Nobuyuki said as the TV program he had been watching in lab was interrupted by the galactic news agency.

"What is it?" she replied slightly annoyed to have been interrupted from her work.  

"They're on the news!"

"Eh?" Washu squeaked, sliding her goggles up onto her forehead.  "Turn it up!"

"And we see that the battle cruiser Saibankan has landed and the criminal Ryoko is being escorted off the ship," an unseen male voice spoke as the events unfolded.

"Is that Prince Tenchi next to Ryoko?" a rather surprised female voice asked as the camera switched from an aerial view to one on the ground.  It was clear that the prince was holding the accused's hand and trying to protect her from the slings and arrows being spewed her way.  

"And we see princess' Ayeka and Sasami egressing now," the male commentator added.  "And it appears that Prince Yosho has returned as well." 

"Let's take this to Roan Darke on the ground," the female commentator said.

"I don't like this," Washu said.  The verbal abuse being issued towards Ryoko was quite loud and graphic, even with the muting nature of the news cameras.

"Looks like Tenchi has finally admitted his feelings," Nobuyuki forlornly observed as Ryoko buried her face into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Yup," Washu commented as the newscaster narrated the scene for them.

"I'm going to try to get a word with prince Tenchi," Roan said as he elbowed his way towards the procession, which had momentarily come to a stop.  "Prince Tenchi!  Prince Tenchi!  Can I have a word?"  Tenchi shot the reporter a disinterested glare, which did little to deter him.  "Is it true you have amorous feelings for the pirate Ryoko?"

Nobuyuki "uh-oh"-ed, as he saw the flash of anger on his son's face.    

"If this is true," Darke pressed on, "Why sully the good name the Masaki royal line with a harlot such as the space pirate Ryoko?"

That was probably the single worst mistake Roan Darke ever made in his journalistic career.  A gasped silence rose up from everyone present as Tenchi Masaki, descendant of crowned prince Yosho and heir apparent to the Juraian throne, decked the out of line reporter.

"That was not good," Washu cringed as Tenchi turned back towards Ryoko and scooped her into his arms.  The flurry of derogatory remarked and inquisitions into the prince and pirates love life increased exponentially at this point.  Ryoko buried her face further into Tenchi's shoulder as the arbites guards formed in closer around them, riot gear drawn.

"I'd say," Nobuyuki added nonchalantly.

"Princess Ayeka!  Prince Yosho!" Another reporter asked as some helped the stricken Darke back to his feet.  "What is your response to Prince Tenchi's actions?  Is there an amorous relationship between the prince and the pirate Ryoko?"

"Prince Tenchi has spoken," Ayeka calmly announced.  "And I advise that you do not make him repeat himself."

To be continued…

Notes:

First let me thank Alighthawk for asking me to guest write this chapter.  I really enjoyed this little space opera, as it let me feed off the vast science fiction trivia I have stored in the ol' noggin.  This has elements from several shows and books you may have read, but that was intentional.  This is my tribute to 'Space Opera's' and the great space based sci-fi dramas.  Also this was my way of explaining Mihoshi's ditsyness as well. I hope you have enjoyed this, and now in a shameless plug, check the fics of my own that I have written.  Thanks again.

William 'Thundergod' Nichols

Author's Notes:

When I finished posting the last chapter and started to make up notes for this one, I wanted this space battle to be spectacular, but feeling that my sense of imagery is still kind of shaky I decided to enlist some help.

If anyone hasn't read Will's big epic 'Odyssey', I strongly recommend it. His use of imagery in the different places he had Tenchi visited and the final battle with the villain was nothing short of brilliant and it was the latter that had me thinking about asking him if he would like to do this chapter. Being that he wrote a chapter for Bobr's 'Ladies Night Out', I figured that he wouldn't mind.  

So after a couple of months of trading emails and instant messages, I think this is one heck of a storyline. Personally, I know I wouldn't have thought half the stuff Will wrote for the space battle and Mihoshi's characterization. Great job bud.

RESPONSES FROM LAST CHAPTER:

ThunderGod: No Will, I haven't forgotten about Second Time Around. Hopefully when I finish with my other story, 'I am Ayeka', I'll get to work on it. (Until then, you folks can read the Ayeka fic while you wait, heh)

AstroKender: I think after this chapter, Tenchi and Ryoko won't have enough time to get too mushy. Now that they're on Jurai, their quality time may be hampered, heh.

Sebayn: Glad you thought the Ryoko-Ayeka moment was good. Even though my stuff is strictly T/R, I still think it's so important that the girls have their own bond and with the scenario I created, it's going to be tested severely.

I3itterSweet: As far as Cullen and Kiyone goes, haven't you heard of Love at first Sight? Heh. After Ryoko, Kiyone's my other fav character so I'm giving my gal some much needed TLC. Who knows, I might do a T/K fic someday. (If the mood strikes me)

Racer X: Glad you're on the bandwagon and I appreciate the recent emails. 

Well, after reading this fine chapter, I regrettably announce that we are going back to the plain speak writing style that is mine. By my estimate, the story has about six chapters to go (But don't hold me to that) with Ryoko's trial to begin.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net

Later, Alighthawk


	12. Who Do We Trust?

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but remember, this is my first fanfic, so easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk

Chapter 11 - "Who Do We Trust?"

"Can this day get any worse?!?" 

"You must remain calm Ayeka. Once Kamidake fills us in on the recent events that has occurred on Jurai, we can proceed with our next move," Lord Yosho replied calmly as he, the irritated Princess Ayeka and the loyal knight Azaka hurriedly entered the darken outer hallways of the Ministry Council of Jurai. After the Royal Palace, the Ministry Building was the biggest edifice on Jurai. The sleek dark gray marble structure was so tall that it nearly reached up towards the sky, giving the impression that its pointed tip could touch the heavens. Standing on each side were two ancient trees, about a third the size of the MB with some of its older thicker branches immersed into the marble. When the MB was first constructed 3,000 years ago, it was hoped that the manner of how the edifice was created would forever remind the people of their symbiotic relationship with nature. 

"Yosho, how can you be so calm about this? Ryoko's going to be tried for murder; our people are becoming restless and fearful because they suspect that I will try to vindicate her regardless whether she's guilty of innocent. On top of all that, every known galactic news agency is here on Jurai to see Ryoko get hauled off to prison and Lord Tenchi decides to lose his temper and strike one of journalists. If that doesn't constitute a bad day I don't know what does."

"Just another day in the lives of the Royal Family, eh Ayeka?" Yosho answered with his dry wit, sensing how overwhelmed the young princess had become. "I understand your frustration Ayeka, but this is what our adversary wants us to feel. The fact that some of the council members have some political motive to see you in distress is another matter we need to address," the old shrine master concluded as the trio climbed on a lighted escalator that led them to the inner sanctum of the ministry building. While the size of the media contingent took the old prince by surprise, the events that took place a while ago did not.

"What is your suggestion now Lord Yosho? How do we proceed?" Azaka grimly asked as he took up the rear. The knight had always been leery when entering the building, fearing that some crazed fool would want to assassinate one of Jurai's top leaders.

"As we discussed back on the ship, Tenchi will accompany Ryoko while we speak to the high ministers of the council. Afterwards I shall try to contact Washu and see if any evidence has turned up from her end," Yosho answered as they stepped off the escalator and walked briskly ahead towards the two massive brass doors that hid the chamber of Jurai's ministry council. Each golden colored door had decorated markings, indicating the important periods of Jurai's long history. Inscribed at the top of the doorway, an ancient Juraian phrase was displayed, citing the first session of the council. **_'By the will of the Tsunami, no task shall be too difficult to achieve. By the will of the people, we shall set forth and achieve those tasks.'_**

Just before they departed from the Saibankan It was agreed that Tenchi would go with Ryoko when Constable Janus Krieg and his full complement of guards escorted the pirate to the Jurai Planetary Detention Center for processing. Tagging along with Tenchi would be the young soldier Lucas, whom Azaka had grown to trust and had requested to Princess Ayeka that she transfer his duties from the Saibankan to guard duty under the direct orders of Azaka and Kamidake. Ayeka happily obliged and issued the order, much to the protest of the ship's captain. In the meantime, Sasami and Ryo-ohki would be sent directly to the palace under heavy security. While it was acknowledged by the Holy Council that the cabbit/spaceship aided the space pirate in her various escapades throughout the years, they determined that she had no direct involvement with the murder of Lord Braga and therefore was released into the custody of the Royal Family.

As the three powerful Juraians reached the entrance, the doors swung open as the sound of machinery strained to push out the heavy man-made monoliths. As they entered the chamber, two men approached them. One was an older looking gentleman, wearing the official garbs of the Holy Council. The other man was much younger, dressed in a conservative drab olive suit, an aide to the older man no doubt.

"Princess Ayeka! Lord Yosho! It's so good to see you all again," the old minister proclaimed as he welcomed the weary space travelers. "Azaka, you're looking well."

"Minister Aztek. How nice of you to receive us. Allow me to offer my condolences on the death of your brother Lord Braga," Ayeka responded as each party politely bowed at one another.

Lord Aztek, the Minister of Public Information and Relations and the older brother of Lord Braga. The siblings originated from the noble house of Tiberon, one of the few surviving houses that were spared the embarrassment of revealing their servitude of Kagato. Both brothers were already respected members of the Holy Council, but when the majority of ministry leaders resigned under pressure and disgrace, Aztek and Braga quickly rose to prominent positions in the council. Braga handled the finances of the empire while Aztek overlooked all information coming in and out from Jurai. While Azaka and Kamidake served as temporary regents for Ayeka, the other ministers ran the kingdom as they saw fit and for the most part, ran it without question.

"That's very kind of you your highness. While I am finally relieved that Braga's murderer has been brought to justice, I feel somewhat saddened that it had to be someone you know personally."

"Lord Aztek, with all due respect to your loss, Ryoko hasn't been tried yet and I still have my doubts on whether she committed the crime in question," the princess said earnestly. 

"Yes...you're quite right Princess Ayeka, but please forgive me if I say that you're too involved with this incident. Most of the public opinion is very negative with regards to the space pirate Ryoko and the fact that a crown prince is romantically involved with her, as well as the former liege and crown princess being her associates...well, it does not look very favorable."

"Is that what the people think Minister Aztek? That we are in league with a murderer?" Yosho questioned the nobleman, looking quite annoyed. "If so, what has the council done to quell this hostile situation?"

"Well, we have sent out announcements and correspondences to the different media outlets, insisting that they keep an open mind about this, but alas they have seen footage of my brother's death and considering Ryoko's past history, they're ready to find her guilty."

"What rubbish! Ryoko may have been a criminal, but she has never been known to commit murder and she certainly has no reason to commit this one," Ayeka shouted back, seeing the condescending look on Aztek's face, sensing that the minister was doing nothing to diffuse the situation. "Perhaps Lord Aztek, that it might be you that is too closely involved with this investigation and are allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgment?"

Aztek smirked when he heard Ayeka's accusations. He had anticipated that the young royal would bring the subject up and therefore he was ready with response.

"I know that's what you wish to believe your highness, but when you read my report you will find that most of action taken in the investigation was under the direction of Captain Bizon of the Intelligence Division. Azaka and Kamidake can confirm this."

Yosho and Ayeka turned towards the loyal knight who reluctantly nodded in agreement. Azaka knew before he left Jurai that the investigation was under way and that minister Aztek had no official ties with the case. Still, everyone in the room knew that Aztek had enough influence to steer the investigation one way or another.

"Perhaps we have jumped to conclusions Lord Aztek, please forgive us," Yosho told the PR minister. "I think it is best now that we retire to our quarters and resume this debriefing tomorrow morning. At the meantime, would you so kindly send all available reports to Princess Ayeka's private chambers so that we may examine the evidence further?

"As you wish Lord Yosho. I will have my assistant here transfer all available data to her majesty's quarters. In the meantime, if there's anything else that you need don't hesitate to summon me."

"Then it's agreed. Lord Aztek, tomorrow I expect every member of the Holy Council to be in attendance for an emergency session. Too many rumors are flying around and they need to be addressed." Ayeka sternly ordered Aztek as she and her party began to head out the door. "Like it or not, this trial will be conducted in a dignified and fair process. If any of the ministers have any objections, they can address them here. Is that understood?"

"Yes your highness. I shall convey your message to the other cabinet members. Until then, have a pleasant day," Aztek smiled wryly once more, knowing that the princess will be facing a monumental task tomorrow.

"Yes, until then. Come Yosho, Azaka. We have other important matters to attend to."  Ayeka commanded as the trio abruptly left the council chambers and proceeded to leave the building. When they were out of earshot, Aztek's young aide approached him.

"Sir, what do you think they'll do?"

"What do you think? They will try to vindicate that criminal scum, but I won't let that happen. Despite their efforts, I will not let that pirate bitch leave Jurai alive. Have Captain Bizon contact me, I wish to know how his investigation is going and perhaps furnish him with some more damaging news items..."

"As you command minister," the young aide replied as he bowed to Aztek and hurried off to complete his assignment.

"Sorry my dear princess Ayeka, but I have too many things going for me now and I refuse to have you and the royal family foil my plans. If things go according to my design, you and your comrades may yet join your pirate friend..."

                                                *****************************************

"Tenchi...that was probably the sweetest thing you ever did for me, decking that nosy reporter to the ground, but it wasn't one of your better decisions either," Ryoko kindly commented to her love as she, Tenchi, Lucas and a whole squadron of Juraian soldiers were transported to the detention center, a kilometer away from the spaceport. The long, gray oval shaped hover vehicle slowly made its way through the streets of Jurai's capital, escorted by several heavily armed sky cycles. 

The craft itself had several soldiers manning rapid fire laser weapons on each side of the craft in the event someone may want to attack it or perhaps be daring enough to try and free Ryoko, but the route the ship was taking was caromed off from all traffic and pedestrians, leaving a clear road towards the maximum secured prison.

"I know what I did was wrong Ryoko, but I couldn't stand what that idiotic reporter was saying about you...about us," Tenchi replied, his face still seething with anger over the incident. "Bad enough the public thinks you committed this murder, but to have people gossip and start rumors about us is more than I can take."

"I know that sweetie and you mean well, but you gotta remember that the people here have a bad opinion of me for many years so this ain't nothing new to me," Ryoko reminded Tenchi about her sordid past as the lovers held hands. "You, on the other hand my love, are a crown prince and for them to see you with me is something these folks can barely stomach and the media is feeding off of that."

As they continued to talk, the voice of Constable Krieg boomed over the intercom of the vehicle, causing everyone inside to pay attention.

"We'll reach the detention center within a few minutes. All guards check your weapons and standby to disembark. The Captain of the Guard will inspect the prisoner's restraints and neural collar. Should the prisoner make any false moves or attempts to leave the ship, your orders are shoot to kill, I repeat: Shoot to Kill!"

"My, he certainly has a knack of making one feel wanted. You'd think I was going to make a break for it." Ryoko quipped, trying to lighten Tenchi's mood a little, but the young prince still displayed a grim expression on his face. 

"You must remember Ryoko, you have been on the GP most wanted list for decades," young Lucas interjected. "Now that they have you, they will go to extreme lengths to ensure that you'll be greatly incarcerated until they have pronounced your sentence, which will likely be your death."

"Geez, you sure know how to make a person feel right at home," Ryoko snapped back as she looked around the compartment and saw the looks of the other soldiers' faces. They all had the same look: fear and hatred. It's the expressions she had seen many times over the years during her plundering of all known space. Even had the murder of Lord Braga hadn't occurred, the cyan pirate knew all too well that the GP and Jurai military had wanted to capture her very badly.

"This is totally unfair! If it weren't for Ryoko, Kagato would still be sitting at the throne! Why can't you all give her the benefit of the doubt?" Tenchi stood up and screamed at the armed squadron, who were startled momentarily by the prince's sudden outburst. To Tenchi, the Juraians seem to have a short memory span since it was public knowledge that Ryoko risked her life to get Tenchi and the knights on Jurai and to allow them to face the false emperor Kagato.

"My lord, yelling at these men won't do you any good. Many of us here have our doubts as well, but we have our orders. Please try to understand..."

"He's right Tenchi; you're just wasting your time here," Ryoko joined in as she reached up with her shackled hands and grasped her lover's shoulders, gesturing him to sit down. "They got their orders as well as the media's attention. The only way I'm gonna be proven innocent is through their court system, which I'm not too confident with in the first place."

"Yeah, but we got grandpa helping Ayeka out, as well as Azaka and Kamidake. With them on our side, we got a chance to prove your innocence."

"Let's just hope so sweetie cause being chained up like this and not using my powers; I feel like a caged animal with little hope for freedom. Without you being here with me, I think I'd go insane."

"We just got to have a little faith with our family, as well as each other Ryoko. I haven't waited this long to tell you that I love you so the Jurai penal system can take you away from me. I won't allow it."

"That means a lot to me Tenchi and I love you too."

The two lovers silently gazed at each other for several moments, making Lucas wished that he could be elsewhere. Shortly afterwards, the vehicle came to an abrupt halt. Within seconds the rear doors of the prison transport opened with Constable Krieg standing outside with several armed robotic sentries and air cycles, hovering just above the transport with their laser cannons pointed directly at the doorway.

"We have arrived at our destination. Guards...surround the prisoner as she exits the transport and have your weapons set on kill. If she tries to escape..."

"Ryoko will not escape constable, you have my word as a prince of the royal family or does that mean nothing to you?"

"I'm just carrying out my orders my lord, No disrespect intended," Krieg answered, his face showing signs of annoyance from having to deal with Ryoko and Tenchi. Normally, his authority was absolute without having to be questioned by anyone, but since this investigation involved the royal family, Krieg did not want to step on any royal toes.

"Now if you will follow me, the guards will escort the prisoner to the central registration room where she will be processed and be shown to her cell. You may accompany the prisoner if you like."

"I'm not leaving Ryoko alone with your guards constable. I'm staying with her as much as I can and should anything happen to her under your watch, I will hold you responsible." Tenchi directed a nasty glare at the Juraian officer as he made his threat. While Tenchi was told that Ryoko would be treated well while incarcerated, he wasn't about to take the chance that some overzealous guard may exact their revenge on the cyan pirate while chained up.

"My lord, do not worry. Azaka himself had ordered me to guard Ryoko until her trial begins," Lucas interceded. "You have my word that no harm will befall on her while I'm on watch." 

Tenchi looked over at the young soldier, his brown eyes softening at the promise he made to him. As he looked towards his right side, Ryoko smiled, letting him know that she was ok with this.

"Ok Lucas, if Azaka feels that you good enough to protect my Ryoko, then I'm all for it."

"Thank you my prince. I will not fail you..."

"Well, if we're all in agreement, can we please move along?" the constable suddenly interrupted. "Members of the media are approaching and I don't wish to make this a live show for the masses. Now if you all just follow me."

In a quicken pace, the armed contingent along with their prisoner proceeded into the black metallic fortress as the sounds of news vehicles, cameras and reporters nearly arrived to witness more of Ryoko's capture.

                                                ***************************************

TRILLIAN PRIME...

"Well babe, the good news is that I can repair Yagami."

"And the bad news?"

"It'll take me about three weeks to have her retrofitted and ready for space travel."

"THREE WEEKS?!? Cullen, we don't have three weeks! By that time the Juraian tribunal will have Ryoko convicted and executed!" Kiyone hysterically screamed out as Cullen the pirate relayed her and Mihoshi the bad news about Yagami's status.

The GP girls barely survived their space battle with the Darktalon; their sensors were shot and navigation systems nearly fried. As they about to board the wrecked warship, Nagi the bounty hunter came swooping down with Ken-ohki and destroyed the Darktalon, along with any possible evidence that may have helped the girls in their quest to save Ryoko. According to Nagi, the Darktalon's engines were about to self-destruct and would have taken the Yagami with them if it weren't for the brooding space huntress.

Back on Trillian prime, under the protection of Cullen and the cloaking device that covered his armed fortress and the surrounding areas, Kiyone and Mihoshi were trying to cope with the fact that they may not be able to get off the planet in time.

"Cullen, there has to be some other way. How bad was Yagami damaged?" Kiyone frantically asked, her long teal hair and uniform still ruffled from the battle in space.

"Hmm, let me rephrase my earlier statement: It will take three weeks for Yagami to be retrofitted, BUT if I were to bypass certain systems and concentrate on just the propulsion units, I may be able to get her flying in less than a week."

"Well that wouldn't do you any good Officer Kiyone. You just might get attacked again and then what will you do?" Nagi added as she wryly smiled at the teal-haired woman.

"But aren't you going to help us Ms. Nagi? After all, Ryoko's your friend too," Mihoshi politely asked the silver haired warrior as Nagi leaned against the side of Yagami's damaged red hull with Ken-ohki perched on her right shoulder, purring softly.

"First of all, Ryoko isn't my friend so I haven't decided yet and besides, didn't I save you people more than once already? I'm a bounty hunter by trade and this rescue stuff isn't exactly lining up my purse strings."

"So you think Ryoko killed Lord Braga Nagi?" Kiyone intuitively asked, fixing her blue eyes towards the huntress. "I thought you respected her more than that."

"I have my doubts about Ryoko killing that Juraian noble, but the evidence that's being broadcasted throughout the datastream is pretty damn convincing. Between that and her past crimes, not that many people are going to shed a tear for her."

"We would've had some proof had you not blown up that ship Nagi. Those men were working for the one responsible for Ryoko's setup," Kiyone reiterated, her face showing the frustration of the difficult task that had been going so far.

"Didn't I told you already that Ken-ohki picked up an energy buildup from the ship's engines and was ready to self-destruct? Or would you rather prefer that I left you to be blown out of space?"

"Silverback got a point babe," Cullen added, "At least you can still do your investigation and try to help Ryoko out..."

"That's right Kiyone! Maybe if we call Washu she can figure out something," Mihoshi bubbly agreed. She was just happy to be alive after her ordeal with the interfacing of the ship that nearly fried her brain.

"I guess you guys got a point. I suppose we just have to find some other option to take," Kiyone sighed as she heard the low beep from her GP watch, which indicated that it was time for a scheduled call to Washu.

"Cullen, can I use your com-link to contact Washu? I'm hoping she might have some good news to tell us and maybe some advice on how to speed up on Yagami's repairs..."

"I didn't know she was a mechanic?" Cullen retorted.

"In times of crisis, Washu can do anything she sets her mind to."

"Well, Officer Kiyone, don't take too long because I got things to do, not to mention that being on this planet makes me a target for those scumbags who might think I'm after them." Nagi said with a stern voice, not too thrilled being on a planet of pirates.

"Don't worry about it Nagi, no one's going to harass you with me around; unless you try to capture me and then we got some problems." 

"Don't worry about it pirate, you're not on my top ten list yet, but then again with Ryoko captured, I may have to revise it."

"Are you sure you're not going to help us and Ryoko Nagi?" Mihoshi meekly asked once more, hoping for a better response this time around.

Nagi shot back a glare at the blonde mayhem for her constant annoyance, but after several seconds she gave her answer...

* Sigh * Tell you what...if this bucket of bolts can't fly, I'll be willing to take you back to Earth or Jurai if that's your preference, but that as far as I go."

"Fair enough Nagi. Let me contact Washu and I'll give you a better idea in a few minutes," Kiyone nodded with her approval of the huntress' favor and then turned her attention towards her red-haired lover. "Cullen, come with me please?"

"Sure thing babe, you don't have to tell me twice..."

"Oh just hush and come with me ok? I swear, men are all the same no matter what planet they come from..."

"Heh, but you have to admit, I'm a unique individual when it come to matters of the heart and as for my bedside manners, I...OWW!"

"Will you SHADDUP and get inside?"

"Yes dear." Cullen humbly acknowledged as Kiyone kicked him squarely on the shin, which left the boisterous pirate limping in pain.

Nagi was both amused and curious about the odd pair that was Kiyone and Cullen. Reluctantly, she had to ask Mihoshi a question...

"Say blondie, is your partner and that pirate an item or something?"

"I think so, but they wouldn't say..."

"They sure make an odd couple..."

"Funny, that's what they say about me and Kiyone..."

Nagi's eyes grew wide, "What? That you two are a couple?"

"Oh no, we're just partners, but we've been known to be called 'The Odd Couple'.

"Never mind Mihoshi, I don't want to know," Nagi replied exasperated as she felt a headache coming on.

                                                **************************************

"Kiyone, you already knew where my comm. room was so why did you need me to tag along _unless..."_

"Don't give me that seductive look Cullen, it's just that I didn't want Nagi nor Mihoshi to hear what I had to say to Washu and you're the only one here who can keep a secret," the GP officer replied as the pair made their way through Cullen's hidden fortress and into the comm. room where the red-haired pirate kept all his electronic surveillance equipment, as well as a state of the art communication console that was heisted from a Juraian supply ship that Cullen raided about a couple of years ago. Normally, the device would be on a battle cruiser or a royal transport, but the rugged raider used it extensively for his pirating.   

Cullen was slightly disappointed that his new lover didn't want to disappear into his bedroom and resume their passion play from yesterday, but when Kiyone mentioned to him about being the only person she could trust, he ears were perked to listen on.

"Excuse me babe, but did you say that I'm the only one you could trust to keep a secret? What about your partner and your bounty hunter friend?"

"I do trust Mihoshi, but sometimes that bubblehead tends to spill out information at the wrong time and as for Nagi..."

"What about her Kiyone?"

Kiyone paused for several moments, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation. "I know that we owe Nagi our lives several times over and she probably did save us from getting blown up by the Darktalon, but..."

"But what babe?" Cullen asked again, his eyebrows twitching as he waited for a reply.

"It's just that Nagi's intervention, right before we tried to board the ship seems too coincidental. Nobody knew we were coming to Trillian Prime and even though she says the Darktalon was going to self-destruct, I didn't sense that we were in danger. Even though she claimed to be passing by through space, my gut tells me that she knows more about Braga's murder than she's letting on.

"Well, personally I never cared for the woman, being a bounty hunter and all. I know several old comrades that got put away because of her. As it is, she's an old adversary of Ryoko who has this strange obsession of beating her..."

"I know, we saw that when she came to Earth and kidnapped Tenchi in a effort to draw her out of hiding," Kiyone said as her mind went back to the first encounter between her friends and the huntress. "Ryoko barely beat her that time and Nagi swore that she'll never stop until she nails her."

"But you said she helped you guys out when you went to Jurai to fight against Kagato?"

"She did, but it was more of making sure no one killed Ryoko before she did," Kiyone surmised before another thought entered her detective mind. "She must be pissed that the Juraians caught her before she did."

"Hmm, maybe that's why she's here," Cullen said as he calibrated the com-link to establish the datastream between his lair and Washu's lab. "Somehow she managed to track you guys down so she can help rescue Ryoko in order to kill her for herself."

Kiyone smirked after hearing Cullen's crazy theory, but Nagi's been known to do extreme things in order to fulfill her honor. It's no secret in the universe that the one bounty she hadn't been to collect was the cyan pirate so the possibility that the huntress may be assisting the GP girls in order to take out Ryoko herself wasn't so far fetch to believe.

The teal-haired girl leaned against the burly man, pointing her index finger right on his temple, showing a playful grin that momentarily perplexed the pirate.

"Crazy as it sounds, you may have something there Red, which makes it even more imperative to keep Nagi away at arm's length. Question is...what do I do?"

"Maybe you should ask the little kid on the view screen," the pirate mockingly pointed out as the image of the diminutive scientist finally appeared before Kiyone. 

                                                **************************************

"Hey girlfriend, what's up?" Washu squealed out in her best schoolgirl imitation as her emerald eyes scanned the monitor and saw Kiyone and Cullen. "Is this big lug here the infamous space pirate Cullen?"

"At your service shorty, for a price of course, ha!" 

"Careful with the short jokes buster, otherwise I'll have to hunt you down and turn you into a Bohemian sand frog and trust me, they aren't the most pleasant looking reptilians to look at." Washu snapped back as Cullen looked at Kiyone, who already knew that it wasn't wise to provoke the little scientist.

"Any word on Ryoko Washu?"

"They arrived on Jurai a few hours ago and it wasn't quite the happy homecoming they anticipated. Didn't you guys see it on TV? They had Tenchi knocking out one of the reporters when asked about his relationship with Ryoko."

"Sorry Washu, but we were kind of busy ourselves," Kiyone answered understating the kind of day she and Mihoshi had a few hours ago in space. "We got into a fire fight with some bad company and nearly got killed in the process."

"Any leads?"

"Well, we entered the bar where Ryoko was drugged and kidnapped and when me and Cullen tried to question the bar owner, a pair of hit men entered from the back and killed the suspect. We chased them right into space where we barely survived, thanks to Mihoshi..."

"Mihoshi? What the hell did she do?" Washu asked, placing her hand against her chin, trying to fathom what could Mihoshi possibly do to save the Yagami from a space battle.

"She interfaced with Yagami Washu, you really should have seen it. She almost single-handedly beat the other ship," Kiyone continued to spit out the events from earlier, her face revealing how proud she was with her partner.

"Interfacing huh? I thought that method of piloting was prohibited on all GP ships. Mihoshi should be thankful her brains didn't get scrambled in the process...what am I saying? In blondie's case, it might've been an improvement..."

"Washu please..."

"Sorry Kiyone, now where was I? Oh yeah, you said you defeated the other ship so what happened to its crew?"

"Nagi happened that's what!" Cullen jumped in, his face still showing some disdain towards the bounty hunter. "She came outta nowhere and blew the Darktalon out of the sky."

"So she and Ken-ohki saved you Kiyone? I thought you said you defeated the other ship?"

"We thought so too, but Nagi claimed that the Darktalon's engine transmissions were indicating that she was about to blow up. We were about to board her and since our external sensors were offline..."

"You assumed that she may be right, which is plausible since she did saved our bacon against the GP fleet and the Jurai military."

"Mihoshi believed her, but I have my doubts..." 

Everyone stood in dead silence for the next several minutes after hearing how the teal-haired detective felt. Each one was speculating what motive, what reason could the bounty hunter be up to. For Cullen, Nagi was no different than him in that she did whatever it was necessary to claim her prize, regardless of who it was.  The fact that she's been relentless of her pursuit of the cyan pirate for so many years only proved that the bounty hunter had an obsession with Ryoko.

Washu, on the other hand, could only examine the facts laid out before her and from prior experience she could only hope to believe that Nagi's appearance was coincidental and maybe beneficial to their cause. Perhaps with the right incentive, the huntress could be bartered with.  With her considerable might and Ken-ohki, her assistance may help tip the balance in their favor.  

Kiyone still wasn't convinced. Even if Nagi did saved her from getting blown up by the Darktalon, the possibility of the huntress helping them out in order to resume her eternal conflict with Ryoko was more than the teal-haired officer was willing to deal with. Kiyone decided that a ruse was needed in order to reveal the silver-haired huntress' true intentions.

"Washu, now that our lead here is dead, I was thinking maybe we should head out to the planet Xeria and try to dig up some more clues. There had to be someone who was there that night when Braga was murdered."

"I agree, but since it's been over two weeks, you may not find much evidence there," the redhead scientist typed in some equations for Claybourne to analyze. After several seconds, a number appeared on the display of her holo-laptop.

"According to Claybourne, you may have a 25% chance of uncovering any evidence on Xeria; assuming the local officials, the GP or the Juraian military didn't tampered or confiscated anything vital."

"And as far as witnesses goes, either the Juraians have bribed a few for the trial or the baddie in question might have scare them into hiding," Cullen added, knowing a few things about intimidating people himself. "I don't need a computer to tell me that part. This is a long shot at best Kiyone so you'll need to think this through."

Kiyone began to pace around the room, sorting out her options, trying to decide what course of action to take. Knowing full well that any wrong move could delay her in helping out Ryoko, she wanted to make the right choice. As she stared into the blinking lights of the comm. room, she came up with an idea...

"Washu, I decided that since Yagami will be out of commission, I'm going to ask you to download any recent data from the Braga incident, plus our recent encounter with the Darktalon and any copies I sent you from Yagami. When you're done, I want to create a single hardcopy and transfer it back here so I can give it Mihoshi for when she goes to Jurai with Nagi..."

"Uh Kiyone, most of the data I have is already known to the public except for your recent skirmish so it may have little impact to our cause. Besides, I can transmit whatever information is needed to Yosho and Ayeka when I re-establish contact with them. Now I know that Mihoshi can tell Lord Yosho what happened, which sounds risky in itself, but mind explaining why you aren't going to Jurai?"

"That's because Professor Washu, while Nagi escorts Mihoshi to Jurai to deliver the 'important' information to Lord Yosho, I will take Yagami to Xeria to dig up those clues," the GP cop smirked as she figured out what her course of action would be. "We both know that whatever information we had collected so far may or may not help Ryoko, but Nagi doesn't know that and..."

"She'll be too occupied with Mihoshi to wonder what's on the hard disk; at least until she gets to Jurai..."

"Which by then, you would've been in contact with Yosho or Ayeka and preparing them for Ken-ohki's arrival," Kiyone winked at Washu, acknowledging that the women were on the same page. "If Nagi should ask about me, I'll simply tell her that due to insecure channels between the main datastream and Jurai's cybernet, we decided that it would be best to send all data via interstellar transport."

Washu and Cullen nodded in approval as the GP detective continued with her plan. "As for me not going to Jurai, it's my obligation as captain of the Yagami to stay with the ship until the repairs have been completed."

"That's shrewd thinking babe. Once the cabbitship leaves here, I can finish up with Yagami's propulsion and navigation systems and we'll be on our way..."

"We? What do you mean we? Who said you're coming along?" Kiyone asked with a puzzled look on her face, wondering what the pirate had up his sleeve.

"I'm volunteering for this mission officer Kiyone. With your sidekick going off with Nagi, you gonna need help on Xeria and it so happens that I know some contacts on that rock," Cullen answered with a cocky grin and giving his lady love a thumbs up sign. "If we're lucky, we might find someone who actually knows what happened."

"Cullen...I can't ask you to do this. It's too dangerous..."

"And? Is that supposed to scare me? I'm a fuckin' space pirate for crying out loud! This is the kind of shit I feed on and if there's anything I can do to help out my gal Ryoko, then I'm going to do it."

"But Cullen..."

"But nothing Kiyone, you're stuck with me and if you don't fuckin' like it then too bad!" Cullen bellowed as he stood in front of the smaller detective, making his presence felt and sporting a wicked grin that reminded her why she took up the pirate's offer to spent the night with him.

"Well, since you're the only qualified mechanic around here, I guess I have no choice in the matter."

"Damn straight you don't so if you please, let's wrap this up so I can get back to work. Please have the half-pint send any recent data on Yagami willya? It's been awhile since I tinkered with a GP cruiser of this class..."

"It's Washu you big galoot!" the fiery redhead responded through the monitor, her mind thinking of painful ways to torture Cullen for his brash behavior before turning her attention back to Kiyone.

"I'll send the bogus data for Mihoshi, as well as the schematics for Yagami Kiyone. By this time the gang should be settled in on Jurai so I'll try to contact them ASAP; is there anything else you need?"

"Not right now. I'll tell Cullen to keep his com-link open for you, as well as Yagami's once she's ready to fly. When you do contact Lord Yosho, let him know about our situation and get back to me right away. Good luck Washu."

"Same to you kiddo and be careful with Nagi; she may not take it too kindly about being deceived."

"I will and thanks, Kiyone out."

Washu sat still as the monitor faded to black. Afterwards, she turned her attention towards her AI.

"Claybourne, I need for you to do a couple of things for me."

"Sure thing; what are they?"

"Well, as you heard over the com-link, send any recent data, no matter how trivial, to the coordinates listed on the display screen, " Washu carefully typed in the numbers that were listed when she had spoken to Kiyone. Claybourne immediately began to download a series of data that had been accumulating since the murder first became known.

"And don't forget the data we have on Yagami; Kiyone needs that ship fixed real soon."

"Done. Anything else?" Claybourne inquired, his metallic voice resonating throughout the lab.

"Yes. See if you can trace Nagi's movements in the last two years, since our last encounter with her."

"How come Washu?"

"Well, if Kiyone's hunch is correct, then Nagi might have been waiting until the opportunity arose to get Ryoko. As far as she knew, Ryoko didn't come back to Earth when Tenchi defeated Kagato, but if Nagi knows Ryoko like we do, she didn't believe that she died after leaving Jurai either. I speculate that after hearing about Braga's murder and who the culprit was, she decided to resume the hunt."

"With the Masakis as her lure."

"Obviously, she figured that if Ryoko was in trouble, she'd head to Earth to be with Tenchi, not knowing of course that Ryoko was living with us already."

"So why is she following detectives Kiyone and Mihoshi, instead of heading to Jurai?"

"That armada was heavily armed and with the royal family aboard, any hostile action on her part would had made her a wanted criminal as well; the last thing she needed," Washu surmised as she began to put some of the clues together. "Gods, I'm starting to figure out this mystery; I'm such a genius!"

"Well professor genius, have you discovered the identity of Lord Braga's murderer yet because that's one part of the equation that still remains a mystery..." Claybourne sarcastically reminded Washu about the main problem that still needed to be addressed.

"No Claybourne, but that's where my last request comes in; please trace back the movements of Lord Braga since he became the finance minister of Jurai. Any man who ends up at a place like Xeria must've had something illegal to hide. Once you completed your analysis, let me know so I can relay them to Lord Yosho, once he makes contact with us."

"As you wish Washu, I'll get started right away," Claybourne responded as the machinations surrounding the lab began humming to life.

Washu relaxed a bit on her floating chair, contemplating about the recent events that took place. As she tilted her head back, her red mane falling back with its ends nearly touching the floor, she kept thinking on how this drama would unfold. Troublesome as Ryoko was, Washu tended to see the cyan girl as the wayward daughter she never had. Despite her youthful appearance, Washu had been around for many years and being around the girls had made her feel like a surrogate mother. She wouldn't admit it to no one else, but seeing Ryoko getting electrocuted and knowing that she could be executed was something she couldn't bear to witness. Quietly, she said a simple prayer to whatever deities in the universe were listening, praying that she would get her family back.

TO BE CONTINUED...

                                                ************************************    

Author's Notes:

As I mentioned in the last chapter, we were returning to the plainspeak that's my writing style, but I think I learned a few things since then. If only I can take off about six months and just do this fic and my other work, I'd be a happy man.

Ok, as you have read earlier, I have introduced a new player into the fray in the form of Lord Aztek. Now that you have read all the characters, I'm going to ask a question: Who do you think is the mastermind of this devious plot to frame Ryoko? I'm not revealing anything of course, but I'm curious as to what you readers think so far. Tell me what you think.

RESPONSES FROM LAST CHAPTER:

ThunderGod: Well, at least I got 'Ayeka' out of the way. Now let's see if I can par down STA a bit.

Racer X: I think so too, heh.

Kryo2000: Well, now that Ryoko is under custody, anything can happen and probably none of it good.

Bobr: yep, with Nagi around things won't be boring, but I'm still trying to fit her into the scheme of things.

DarkGods: You and the T-God seem to be mutual admirers of this WarHammer thingie. I can see a dark saloon and two pints of ale flowing about, sharing stories of wars long ago.

Tenchi Masaki: Wow, I feel like I'm doing a biography now. I hope I get the true story right Tenchi.

UnholyDragoon: Just a few things? (Sighs) But you're right about some of them and hopefully I'll improve as we go along.

In the next chapter, the moment of truth arrives for Ayeka as she begins to preside over Braga incident, as well as saving Ryoko while Kiyone plays a dangerous game of deception with Nagi. It all starts with 'Time to Shine' so you don't want to miss it.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net

Later, Alighthawk


	13. Time to Shine

*Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer, & Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

** Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C & C is welcomed, but easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial:  by alighthawk Chapter 12 – "Time to Shine" 

PLANET JURAI…

As night fell on the Juraian capital, Ayeka and her compatriots huddled inside her private chambers, figuring out a strategy to use for tomorrow's council meeting. For hours they poured over the reports furnished by Minister Aztek and his Office of Public Information, reading and analyzing every bit of news and info that had surfaced ever since news of the Braga murder reached Jurai several weeks ago.

The princess was losing sleep over this ever since she and the rest of the family left Earth to help defend Ryoko; knowing that she would have to face the Holy Council and her detractors who would be claiming Ayeka had hesitated in denouncing the killing due to her past history with the pirate, in addition to neglecting her duties as the future heir of the monarchy. It didn't matter to the overzealous group of Juraian officials that Ryoko had helped them overthrow Kagato, nor the fact that Ayeka herself didn't force all of them to leave their office when the Holy Council was cleaned out in the aftermath of that incident; all they knew was that a fellow lord was murdered and that a notorious criminal was caught on tape, accused and captured. Were it up to them, they would skip the trial all together and execute Ryoko at the first possible moment.

"Let's go over this again Ayeka; you cannot be caught off guard by the council members. They would like nothing more than to see you disgraced in front of all of Jurai," Yosho pointed out to Ayeka as he studied the video surveillance once more, along with some official reports coming from Captain Bizon from the Intelligence Division, listing all the alleged evidence that was taken from Xeria after the killing.

"Lord Yosho, may I please rest my eyes for a moment? If I continue to skim thru these reports at the pace we're going, I fear my head will explode," Ayeka answered, as she laid back on her oversized leather recliner, finding the switch that flipped the bottom portion up in order to elevate her feet. "What was I thinking when I said to have this meeting tomorrow morning?"

"You were annoyed with Lord Aztek's comments my lady," Azaka said, trying to comfort Ayeka with his words, "Having the meeting tomorrow is not a bad idea as long as we're prepared for all possible questions. As long as you appear to be in control of the situation, there's very little the ministers can do."

"But that's just it, Azaka, much as I wish that everything can be made right again, I fear that this crisis may be bigger than what we faced against Kagato." Ayeka said, looking exasperated from the long ordeal.

"Perhaps so, Ayeka, but you are still the First Crown Princess of Jurai, and therefore, have the advantage," Yosho spoke again, as he shut off the video monitor in front of him and knelt beside the young monarch, "Aztek has inflamed the council into a state of anger and despair while allowing the public to be misinformed about the facts of the case. This will allow certain council members in his group to try and attempt to usurp your authority. Since Lord Aztek appears to be the head conspirator, it is logical that Braga's murder has allowed him to gather some momentum, and to question the effectiveness of the Royal Family. He will be the one key member you'll need to out duel."

"But what if I can't, Yosho? What if Aztek comes up with some incriminating evidence that makes me responsible for all this? Perhaps the people are correct in that I've been away for too long, neglecting my duties as the ruler of Jurai?" Ayeka responded as tears began to swell from her eyes.

"What are you saying to me, Ayeka? That you feel partly responsible for what happened to Ryoko? That perhaps if you were here on Jurai, maybe Lord Braga's murder might've been prevented?"

Ayeka didn't answer him immediately. Her head was looking down to her crossed arms, her tears streaming down her cheeks and landing on the ridge of her blue kimono. It was starting to hit her that everything that she was raised to know, what she was born to be, was about to be taken away from her and she was powerless to stop the tidal wave that was about to overwhelm her.  "In some way…yes, I believe I am responsible for all this.  If I hadn't stayed on Earth, knowing full well that Tenchi had chosen Ryoko, I would've been here on Jurai as I should've been, overseeing my kingdom. Azaka, this is not a poor reflection on you or Kamidake, but my place was to be here from the beginning."

"Princess Ayeka, whether or not you were here on Jurai, Lord Braga would probably still be dead. No one, including Aztek is asking why was he on Xeria when he was killed and that question needs to be answered. As for your relationship between yourself, Lord Tenchi and Lady Ryoko…" The noble knight paused for a moment, realizing he was treading on a sensitive subject. He looked towards Yosho, giving a look for help, but all the former Jurai King did was nodded, telling the knight to continue. Azaka mentally searched through his mind until something logical popped into his brain.

"Your highness, you may have known for some time that Lord Tenchi had decided on Lady Ryoko instead of you, but yet you decided to stay on Earth. Why would that be?"

"I always thought that perhaps if I stayed longer and since Lord Tenchi hadn't officially made his feelings known for Ryoko, I thought I still had a chance to win his heart over…"

"Is that all there is your highness?"

"Huh? What do you mean by that, Azaka?"

"I believe that what Azaka is trying to say, Ayeka, is that perhaps that was more to your staying on Earth than just trying to win over Tenchi," Yosho joined in the conversation, trying to help Ayeka figure out her reasons for staying on Earth, "Perhaps maybe if you had left, you would've missed your adopted family? Even if Tenchi didn't choose you, there were other people that cared for you and despite our different cultures and origins, we are as close with one another as any other family could be."

Ayeka looked up after hearing Yosho's words. Despite the fact that she had Sasami, it wasn't until they'd been on Earth for a long period of time that they felt a sense of a true family with the other girls and the Masaki men. Even Ryoko, whom Ayeka had fought so much over the last few years, was as close as a sister to her as Sasami was. Somewhere down the deep recesses of her soul, Ayeka was feeling the sense of failure, the failure to protect Ryoko from the dangers and the enemies that now surrounded them. The failure to help out the pirate after the many times Ryoko had risked her life for the princess.

"I-I failed her. I failed Ryoko, I failed Lord Tenchi and I failed as the ruler of my people. You're both right. I'm a future queen of an empire with everything at my disposal. There's nothing that I lack or want, but despite all that I never truly felt at home until I found a life on Earth with Lord Tenchi, Lord Yosho and the other girls. Even had this incident had not occurred, I would've gladly stayed back of Earth just to remain with the others. Isn't that what a family does Lord Yosho? To stay together no matter what?"

Yosho smiled, seeing how Ayeka was fighting to control her emotions. He knew that she was trying to get handle on things ever since they left Earth and that Ayeka was in a fragile state of mind. Between her discovery of Tenchi's choice of Ryoko, the murder, the disenchantment of her home world and the her possible expulsion from the throne, the shrine master was happy that she was strong enough to overcome all the adversity so far and hoped that she would continue to do so as she entered tomorrow's council session.

"Yes Ayeka, you are quite right. Always remember child, no matter the dire situation that you may see yourself in, know that you're never alone."

"I know that Yosho, but even if I am able to get through the council meeting with little trouble, I still have no clue about dealing with the Ryoko's situation. What if I'm forced to decide on whether or not to put her to death should she be found guilty? What will Lord Tenchi think of it, or of me? I know he said that he would hold no ill will towards me, but after seeing what he did to that reporter, how would he react when the verdict is in and Ryoko is found guilty of killing Braga?"    

Before the old Juraian could give an answer, a familiar figure entered the chambers of the princess, his young face expressing a welcome relief for the others as he stopped short of Ayeka, bowing before her and Yosho.

"Well Kamidake, I was wondering where you were," Azaka smirked as his partner and former apprentice glared back, his face displaying of expression of urgency. "What have you found out?"

"At Lord Yosho's request, I have made several inquiries with our friends at the Galaxy Police regarding their end of the investigation of Lord's Braga's murder; there seems to be some things that Captain Bizon did not reveal in his report to the council…"

"Or perhaps he was told not to by certain individuals in the council…"

"It's quite possible Lord Yosho, I can't say for certain where the Captain's loyalties lie."

"Anything else Kamidake?" Azaka asked.

"Regarding the jurisdiction of the scene of the crime, there's some gray area, but I believe I have attained some information that may help us with Lady Ryoko's trial."

_"Heh-heh…"_

"Something that amuses you Ayeka?" Yosho asked as he and the knights looked at the young royal, perplexed by her sudden urge to giggle.

"Heh, I'm sorry but that's the second time I heard someone say _Lady Ryoko. _Not that I'm saying that she hasn't earned the respect, but considering her _unladylike _behavior at times…"

"We'll discuss the use of proper etiquette at another time, but right now I think it's best that we examine more of the information Kamidake has attained for us. Ayeka, we'll leave you to rest and meditate," Yosho suggested as he waved at the knights to leave the room. "Just go over of what we have discussed and in the morning we'll go over the plan, including any new information that may be useful. Will you be all right tonight?"  

"Yes Yosho, I'm quite all right. I will make some final notations before I go to sleep. Perhaps a good night's rest will take some of the edginess I've been feeling lately. I will also meditate as you suggested. Perhaps Tsunami will hear my plea."

"Very well then. If there's nothing else child, I bid you a good night…"

"Princess Ayeka. May Tsunami watch over you tonight." Kamidake added as he and Yosho headed out towards the doorway.

"I'll have two knights of the Second Order stand guard outside your highness. You will not be disturbed until we return. Good night your majesty."

"And a good night to you Azaka, Yosho, Kamidake. May Tsunami bless you all," Ayeka said thoughtfully as the men left, leaving the two wooden oak doors to close behind them as they headed for another section of the palace.   

                                                *************************************

ELSEWHERE IN THE CAPITAL…

"Hold still please…" 

"Is this really necessary? I mean don't you people have all the information you need?"

_"Turn to the left…"_

"My lord, most of the recorded information we have on Ryoko is from the Galaxy Police database. However, many of those records were expunged at Princess Ayeka's request when she made her case regarding the pirate's assistance with Kagato…"

"Turn to the right and please try not to smirk…" 

"Therefore, Juraian law requires that all prisoners be registered and processed through the penal system accordingly. Please try to understand, Lord Tenchi, that we're treating your 'friend' no differently than any other prisoner," Constable Krieg tried to explain to Tenchi on Juraian protocol with dealing with captured criminals such as Ryoko for her alleged involvement with Lord Braga's murder. "We're just doing our duty as loyal soldiers to the empire."

For the last few hours, since their arrival on Jurai, the Constable had purposely dragged the processing of Ryoko to almost a crawl. One reason was to thoroughly attain all the information, biological or otherwise, so that they would have a complete record of the pirate in their database. The second reason was to safeguard the area around the jail. The Constable wanted to be absolutely sure that neither Ryoko nor anybody else was going to try and rescue her. All of this was made known to Tenchi, who at the moment wasn't very happy with the deliberate delay.     

"Video recording completed. Please hold still for retina identification…" 

"I understand that constable, but Ryoko has been shackled for several hours now. If you're going to take her to her cell, then let's just get this over with," Tenchi answered, clearly irritated with the slow moving process as Ryoko stood in front of a light gray wall as a rail thin silver automaton summoned a hovering cylindrical scanning device to take retinal scans of the exhausted pirate.

"Please don't blink prisoner Ryoko, otherwise we cannot get a confirmation of your retina ID…" 

"If you tin plated excuses for robots would speed it up, then I wouldn't blink. I've been chained up for awhile all right?"

"_Just several more minutes and then you can pick up your prison garments and proceed to your cell." _the silver mechanized figure responded, not caring what the cyan haired woman was feeling since its program was devoid of all emotion.

"Don't worry about your clothes Ryoko, I retrieved them from the prison's supply room," young Lucas entered the room carrying a drab dark grayish outfit that was to be Ryoko's clothes for her stay at the prison. As the soldier pulled the outfit from its clear plastic sealant, it appeared to be bigger and bulkier than what the space pirate was accustomed to wearing.

"You're kidding right? What kind of clothing is that? I've seen drunks in the streets with better clothes than that," Ryoko loudly complained, sounding as if she was unhappy with her treatment, especially since she had to wear her prison garbs as compared to her usual form fitting outfits. Tenchi was starting to worry that his love might go off the deep end again until she looked at his direction and playfully winked at him before resuming her role of irritating the constable.  "And that color…definitely not me."

"The prisoner shall wear the appropriate clothing that was issued by the supply master! You shall wear these garments during your time here, which will be a long stay if I have anything to say about it," Krieg barked, getting tired by Ryoko's constant nagging. "The only time you may wear other clothing will be when you are escorted to the Ministry Hall of Justice for your trial, do I make myself clear?"

"Tenchi? Can't you do anything about this?"

"I'll see what I can do, but for now better go along with the constable, Ryoko," Tenchi replied as he strolled up to his lover, with a slight smirk on his face and whispered behind her ear, making Ryoko giggle from what he said. "_I can see that you're having some fun at the man's expense Ryoko. Trying to give him a stroke?"_

The constable raised his eyebrows, wondering what the whispered conversation was about until Tenchi pulled away from the pirate, his face changing to a more serious expression.

"Ahem. Uh Ryoko…no need to aggravate these men any further. The dress code is only here and not at the courthouse so don't worry about it, ok?"

Ryoko went along with Tenchi's playacting by putting on a pouting face when she saw the pleading look from Tenchi's soft brown eyes. After being poked and prodded throughout the day, Ryoko was enjoying baiting the constable and his men. She was going to add some insults to really annoy the soldiers, but she thought the better of it.

_"Retinal scans completed. The prisoner shall now be identified as Ryoko, prison ID#SPR1992TM2000. Please escort the prisoner to her cell."_

"About damn time! If I had to stand up any longer, I'll grow roots," Ryoko scoffed as the hovering scanning device sped off to process its newly acquired information of the cyan haired woman. Tenchi used his left arm to reach around his lover's body so she could lean on him as the shackles and the neural collar was sapping her usually powerful body. As Lucas began to lead the way, Krieg had one more announcement to make.

"Space Pirate Ryoko! Please be advised that at 15:00 tomorrow, you will be summoned to appear at the Ministry Hall of Justice for your arraignment in front of the elected magistrate to hear the charges of your crime. One hour prior to your arrival, your defense counsel will meet with you to discuss your charges," The constable smiled wryly as he continued with his pronouncement of the Jurai system of law.

"As of right now, a public defender has been assigned to your case, however you may choose another to represent you for your trial. Afterwards, once your plea has been recorded, you will reappear within 72 hours for the commencement of your trial. Do you have any questions?"

"Just one…when do we eat? I haven't eaten for hours and listening to all your babbling is really making me hungry," Ryoko mockingly asked her jailer as she gave him a defiant look, as if the events around her weren't affecting her one bit. "Y'know constable, you should really speak clearer, your low tone of voice makes you sound nasal."

"Wretched woman! I don't care if you're a friend of Her Royal Highness or the lover of the prince! You will obey the rules or else I will have you confined in suspended animation until your trial begins!"

"Constable, I would choose my words more carefully if I were you," Tenchi hissed at the officer as he stepped between his love and her jailer. "Remember what I said earlier, should anything happen to Ryoko during her confinement, I'd be holding you responsible and believe me, you don't want to see me angry."

Tenchi stood before Krieg, their eyes meeting head on. Although the young Earthling was a few inches shorter than the Juraian officer, he never showed any fear or doubt. The constable saw the way Tenchi was standing firm, his face with a determined look. This was a young man who would risk everything to help his love and nothing was about to stand in his way. Realizing that he was in a no-win position, Krieg took a step back, and politely bowed to the young prince.

"My apologizes young lord; I spoke out of turn. I shall try to restrain myself for making any more inflammatory comments. You have my word as a loyal servant to the crown that no harm shall come upon the prisoner, provided she behaves accordingly."

"She will constable, and since we're now in agreement, can we leave?"

"Yes, of course. Lucas knows the way; just follow him down the corridor. These two guards will also escort you until the prisoner is secured in her cell."

"Fine with me. Lucas, just lead the way." Tenchi told the young soldier as he tightly embraced the impressed Ryoko and began to walk with her towards the center of the prison.

"Wow, Tenchi, that's twice you came to my defense," Ryoko said seductively as she leaned her head on Tenchi's shoulder, her voice purring at his ear. "I can really get to like this new side of you."

"Ryoko my love, if and when we get out of this. I promise that you'll see a whole different side of me. A side of me that I should've let out a long time ago."

"Well babe, let's just hope I live long enough to see it through cause once the arraignment starts, it's rough waters ahead. You're ready for all this Tenchi?"

"For you Ryoko, I will be…I have to be."

                                                ************************************* 

TRILLIAN PRIME…

"Well I gotta admit babe, your pal Washu sure does come in handy when it comes to starship schematics. With the designs and a few extra parts I stocked in my fortress, me and my work drones will have Yagami ready in about ten hours." 

Cullen happily carried on with his repairs to the Yagami as Kiyone stocked up on provisions before making the trek to the planet Xeria where Lord Braga's murder had taken place. Kiyone's expression was one of concern, being that she would be undertaking a dangerous journey with a notorious criminal, but she was also relieved that she was able to convince Nagi to take Mihoshi to Jurai with the bogus information that Kiyone handed over to the space hunter on a hard disc. Despite Nagi's word that she was merely helping the girls out by shooting down the Darktalon, the teal-haired detective was still skeptical. Too many things were happening at once and right now, anyone and anybody could be in on this conspiracy against Ryoko. After giving one of the ship's automaton instructions on where to place the crew's provisions, Kiyone walked over and knelt by her pirate companion as he continued to rewire the navigation system.

"So will we be fully operational soon Cullen? I want to get to Xeria ASAP." 

"We'll be able to fly, Kiyone, but as much as I tried to overhaul certain systems with whatever equipment I had stored from my various raids, I'm still going to have to skip the weapon system, and the defensive shielding will be only at 50% capacity. I'm really sorry babe, it's the best I can do at short notice."

"Well, that means that we'll have to avoid getting into a fight," Kiyone sighed as she got up and sat in her captain's chair. She mentally began to press the buttons on her command console for testing as Cullen finished with the repairs. "From what I've seen so far, the propulsion system is at maximum efficiency, but if the GP or any Juraian warship are lurking around Xeria's orbit, we'll be detected for sure…"

"Not necessary my dear Kiyone…" Cullen answered with a playful grin.

 "Huh, what do you mean Cullen?"

"I studied the circuitry of the ship's defensive grid and if Washu's manuals are right, I may be able to install a smaller version of my cloaking device that's used in hiding my fortress. It won't save us if we get hit by an asteroid or laser fire, but if I'm right we should be able to sneak under those GP patrol ships without a hitch. Whadaya think babe?"

Kiyone didn't say a word as she walked up to Cullen and flashed a sexy smile. She cupped his face, making him lower his head just low enough to lock lips. Her response was a positive one.

"I'm so glad that you're helping me like this Cullen. I don't know what I would do without you."

"I'm pretty sure that you'll come up with something luv, but right now let me get started on installing that cloaking device. Another eight hours should do it."

"Great, I'm almost done with everything else so maybe I can do something with the weapon systems. Since Mihoshi used them when she merged with the ship's systems, I have no idea how burned up they are."

"Speaking of blondie, how ya think she's doin' with Nagi? Ya think that silver haired bitch would try something sneaky?"

Kiyone was standing over the weapon's console when she heard Cullen's question. Much as she hated to lie to both Nagi and Mihoshi, she felt that by sending them to Jurai and diverting their attention to the disc that Washu downloaded information on, it would allow her and Cullen to continue their quest to find out who was responsible for Ryoko's frame up. Still, Kiyone had her concerns.

"Nagi will have her suspicions, but since she's traveling with Mihoshi, I doubt that she'd pull anything. Of course, she might try and see what's on the disc and if Mihoshi does what she always does when traveling in deep space…" 

"Y'mean her long naps?"

(_Sigh) _"Exactly. Once she goes to sleep, it wouldn't surprise me if Nagi decides to take a peek."

"Yeah, but you did one hell of a acting job to get her to go to Jurai."

"I know. I still can't believe that it worked. I can still see it now…"

(FLASHBACK…)

"Now let me get this straight, Kiyone, you want me to take Mihoshi to Jurai so she can deliver this info-disc to Princess Ayeka; all because Washu is having problems getting through to the Royal Family and your ship is out of commission, right?" Nagi questioned the teal-haired officer, being skeptical of the whole situation.

"Yep. That's about it, Nagi. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated," Kiyone answered amiably. After conferring with Washu and Cullen, they figured that the best way to keep Nagi out of picture in their investigation of Lord Braga's murder was to have the bounty hunter run a fool's errand with her bubblehead partner, who was also being duped into believing that the disk contained hard evidence that would help Ryoko with her trial. All three figured though that even with the knowledge that the huntress wanted to kill Ryoko for herself, security was so tight on Jurai that no one could get near the space pirate save for the Royal Family and since Nagi was well known throughout the galaxy, there was no way for her to attempt to get at Ryoko.

"I don't know…one minute you're ranting about because I blasted that ship from space and now you're being awfully nice, you wouldn't be trying to trick me now, detective?"

"Now, Nagi, if Kiyone had a plan like that going on, she would've filled me in, right partner?" Mihoshi jumped in, defending her best friend.

"Yep…sure. You're absolutely right Mihoshi. If I wanted to deceive you Nagi, Mihoshi would've known and went along with it."

Kiyone's left brow began to twitch involuntarily as she kept up her act. She would always twitch like that whenever she had something to lie about and she worried that her blonde partner would pick it up as well since Mihoshi knew of all of the teal-haired officer's habits.

Nagi continued her line of questioning. "Look, not to doubt you or anything, but I find it hard to believe that the so called greatest genius in the universe can't crack into the Jurai cyber net system to contact Lord Yosho and Princess Ayeka. Are you sure you're not trying to bullshit me Kiyone?" 

A light saber appeared out of the dark cloak of the bounty hunter as her features began to look more menacingly. "Because if ya did, it would be a bad decision on your part."

"Look Nagi, like I said before, Washu can get into the Juraian communication net, but she having a hard time trying to find a secured line since all incoming and outgoing transmissions are being monitored. With the information we have gathered so far, she's afraid that the parties responsible for Ryoko's frame-up might pick it up. Even you have to appreciate the value of guarded information, bounty hunter."

"She's right, Ms. Nagi. If the person responsible gets a hold of that information, it could ruin Ryoko's chances," Mihoshi jumped in, her eyes getting watery from thinking negative thoughts. "Please you say that you'll do it; I don't want to see Ryoko die."

Nagi shook her head in dismay as the blonde officer to weep uncontrollably. Remembering that she offered a ride to Jurai, the huntress sighed at the irony of the situation. 

"All right, blondie, no need to get emotional over the situation."

"Does that mean that you'll do it?"

"Why not? If it means that Ryoko can get out of this and give me another crack of killing her myself, I'm all for it. Besides, with your partner here stuck on this mud ball until your ship gets back into shape, someone gotta keep you out of trouble."

"OH, THANK YOU NAGI! THANKYOU, THANKYOU, THANKYOU!!!"

"Get off me you twit!" Nagi yelled out as Mihoshi reached over and gave her a bone-crushing hug. "Now understand something, I'm only doing this because I don't want Ryoko killed by anyone but me, is that clear?"

"Well, I'm sure Ryoko will give you that opportunity once she gets out, Nagi," Kiyone commented, waving her hand back and forth as she breathed a sigh of relief in that she was able to deceive the bounty hunter. "Cullen is on the hanger deck fixing Yagami's systems, but I'm sure he can provide with whatever you need for the journey…"

"I don't need anything, detective; just hand over the disk then me and blondie here will be on our way," Nagi responded coldly as she grabbed Ken-Ohki and tossed him into the air; the white cabbit transformed into his ship form, looking like the reverse version of Ryo-Ohki in term of color and design. As Nagi made her way towards the open barren field, she looked back once more at the pair of GP detectives, sounding as if she was convinced of Kiyone's intentions.

"You guys got thirty minutes, otherwise I'm heading out to space without the blond genius here," Nagi warned the pair as she allowed her cabbit partner to materialize the huntress onto the bridge.

"Sure thing Nagi, and thanks!" Kiyone answered enthusiastically as she felt that her ruse against the bounty hunter was paying off. "Mihoshi…I know this is short notice, but you need to deliver this disk to Lord Yosho or Princess Ayeka. Do I make myself clear? This could mean a big difference in clearing Ryoko's name."

"Don't worry Kiyone, you can count on me! As a Galaxy Police Officer, it's my duty to see that this piece of evidence gets delivered to the Royal Family. I'll put it somewhere that no one would think to look."

"I knew I could count on you partner!" _ Hmm, wonder where she plans to hide it? Better not ask. _

"Right! And besides, once I'm there I could go to the palace and see if Sasami is making anything. I mean the food rations on Yagami are ok, but they can dry at times," 

Kiyone buried her face into her hands as her bubblehead partner went off on one of her endless prattle. Again, she felt a headache coming on.

"And although Mr. Cullen did feed us pretty good, I do miss Sasami's beef pot special, her steamed dumplings, her…"

"MIHOSHI ENOUGH!!! I get the point ok? Just get whatever belongings you need and get going, Nagi will take off without you if you keep standing here all day."

"Right, I'll get some clothes and my spare uniform. Oh, this is great; I get to help Ryoko and fly on Ken-Ohki too," Mihoshi was about to enter Yagami before she turned around and raced towards her partner and best friend, giving her a bone crushing hug.

"Argh, Mihoshi! What was that for?!?"

"For being my partner and having the faith in me to do this job. We both know that you could really come with us if you wanted, but I guess you know what you're doing."

"What I'm doing? Please Mihoshi, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm just going to wait until Cullen can repair the ship and I'll join you on Jurai shortly after."

"Ok, if you say so Kiyone. Heh-heh," Mihoshi giggled softly, knowing full well that Kiyone had a plan, but wasn't about to divulge any of it to her. She really wanted to know what her partner had in mind, but something inside her told her not to ask. If Kiyone felt it was best to keep it secret, then she wasn't about to question her best friend's judgment.

"Well, whatever you're not planning to do, I pray that it works out. I'll deliver this disc like you told me to and wait for you on Jurai. Please be careful Kiyone."

"You too Mihoshi. I promise to be on Jurai as soon as I can." Kiyone answered back as she saw her partner venturing into Yagami in search of her wardrobe. As much trouble as Mihoshi can be, she can also be amazing sometimes with her uncanny intuitiveness. Thirty minutes later, a white spiky object was seen leaving the Trillian sky heading for deep space. 

As Kiyone snapped out of her flashback, she silently said a prayer for her partner, hoping her journey to Jurai goes without a hitch. 

                                                ************************************

DEEP SPACE…

"So uh, Nagi? How long is the trip to Jurai?" Mihoshi politely asked her hostess as both parties were sitting; Nagi on her command chair and the blond GP officer on the floor, to the left of the bounty hunter. Nagi wasn't accustomed to having guests riding on Ken-Ohki so she didn't have much use for furniture and her cabbit wasn't about to create one either.

"I figure at this speed thru hyperspace, we should get to Jurai a little less than two days, assuming nobody stops us to ask for directions…"

"Oh my, do you think we'll find someone lost during our ride? Gee, I hope not. I know I've been lost many times during my patrol and believe me, it's not fun."

"You got lost on your patrol watch? How the hell did you do that? Your ship has got the finest sensory and navigation systems in the galaxy. Only an idiot could get themselves lost with all that equipment." Nagi said, forgetting whom she was talking to. 

"Oh well, you see…it was about five years ago and Kiyone was on another assignment and headquarters asked for the nearest ship to go to the Antilles system to investigate a civil disturbance. Naturally I responded to their hail, but for some strange reason HQ kept insisting that I continue on my present patrol and ignore their request,"

_Shit, I wonder why? _

"Anyway, I was on my way to Antilles when a comet came shooting past my starboard side. Boy, did my ship spin around like crazy," Mihoshi continued as she made circles to illustrate her point and Nagi was suddenly feeling queasy all the sudden. 

"Did you check your readings Mihoshi?"

"Oh yes, but the instrument panel was making funny noises and the lights were blinking a lot. Turns out that they were effected by the comet's passing so I did the next best thing…"

"You called for help?" Nagi incorrectly guessed.

"Nope, I just guessed and told the ship's computer to take us to the nearest red star system since I knew that Antilles has a red giant for their star."

Nagi looked befuddled by Mihoshi's method of choice, but she dared ask her another question.

"Uh, Mihoshi? Antilles has a blue star for its system, not a red one…"

"I know Nagi. I was so shocked to see that little star. I thought Antilles switched stars or something. As it was, when we got there, it wasn't Antilles at all. It was the Cobalt system."

Nagi slapped her forehead, knowing where this conversation was heading. She reluctantly posed another question to Mihoshi.

"So that was when you realized you were lost, blondie?"

"Uh, nope. You see, the Cobalt system is made up of an organization of smugglers, so when they saw my ship…"

"They decided to blast it out of the sky?"

"Right. Hey it sounds like you were there, Nagi."

"Just a lucky guess on my part." _All because I would've done the same thing, only I wouldn't had missed. _

"That's a pretty good assumption. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, the smugglers were chasing me down, trying to destroy my ship and all. I managed to elude them by entering this swirling cloud of mass that appeared on my screen."

Nagi knew right away what it was. "You mean you entered the Sagassi wormhole? Mihoshi, the other end of that thing is at the far end of the galaxy! It would've taken you weeks to get back to GP headquarters."

_Sniff _"I know, that was when I knew I was lost," S_niff_  "I had to ask for directions and when I got back the chief was so mad, he grounded me for one month until Kiyone finished her assignment and she was even madder after the chief filled her in."

The huntress merely shook her head in disbelief. She recalled back on Earth during her first encounter with the other girls that she ridiculed Kiyone for being washed up. After hearing her partner's misadventure, she's beginning to understand why the dark haired GP detective acted the way she did around Mihoshi. Nagi decided to call it a night.

"YAWN…well, that was an interesting tale there lady, but I think I'm calling it a night. I already plotted the course to Jurai so Ken-Ohki can fly there on his own. I suggest you get some rest too."

"YAWN…yeah, I am kind of sleepy. It's been a busy couple of days for all of us and I can't wait…can't wait to….ZZZZZZZZ"

Nagi got up from her chair to see that Mihoshi passed out on the right side of her. She was about to tell the blonde girl to sleep in another section of the cabbit ship, but she was out cold. It didn't matter though since Nagi knew that Mihoshi was a deep sleeper, she shouldn't have any problems accessing the disc undisturbed.

Nagi searched for the disc by quietly rummaging through Mihoshi's personal belongings, but found nothing. She decided to carefully check her jacket and pant pockets, figuring she didn't secure it yet, but still found nothing. Nagi got up and stared at the sleeping blonde, figuring where that disc could be. Then she figured the one place no one would dare to look.

"Naw, she didn't…_did she_?"

Nagi knelt down in front of Mihoshi, wiggling her fingers and began to open up her jacket. The sleeping girl had her pink sleeveless blouse on, with her ample cleavage staring right in front of Nagi. The bounty hunter was very impressed with Mihoshi's body, figuring her curvaceous frame made up for her lack of brain cells. Slowly and carefully, Nagi cupped her hands on Mihoshi's breasts, trying to feel for the disc. Even with her strapless bra on, Nagi found something 'hard' and circular.

As she began to put her right hand inside the blond's bra, feeling her left breast for the disc, Nagi had to fight a sudden urge to do more than _'feel'_. The sensation of feeling the firmness of her tanned bosom was making the bounty hunter lose her concentration.

_Not now Nagi. Just do what has to be done and that's it. I ain't got time for any frolicking now. Maybe when we're on Jurai I'll test the waters then, but I have to see what's on that disc. _

_"Heh-heh. Oh Kiyone, that tickles…"_

The huntress stopped moving after hearing the GP officer talking in her sleep. After taking a deep breath, Nagi slowly pulled out the disc and sighed for relief. During all that, Mihoshi was still sound sleep.   

"Chow-yo?" 

"No Ken-Ohki, I wasn't trying anything funny with blondie here. You should know by now that if I wanted anything from someone, I'd face them head on. Now do me a favor and continue to monitor our status. I have to look at what's on this disc so I think it's better that you don't see it ok?"

_"Chow." _The cabbit ship agreed and switched his internal command functions to manual for his mistress. He continued to focus his attention to space, his thoughts on looking forward to seeing Ryo-Ohki once more.

Nagi inserted the disc into her command console and began to hack into it. Whatever information Washu had encoded on it, it might be useful down the road. However, when the internal sensors finished their scan, the ship's monitor suddenly flashed on and before Nagi's eyes, a chibi Washu appeared before her, holding what looked to be a square device with a big red button on it.

"_Hi there, you have reached the encrypted gateway of the greatest genius of the universe. If you want to get through this entrance, please type in the password. You have 30 seconds…"_

"What the…? Kiyone didn't say anything about a password! What the hell could it be?"

Nagi pondered as the screen showed the chibi Washu tapping her feet, waiting for a response. In the background, the theme from 'Jeopardy' played. When the time was almost up, Nagi took a wild guess and typed in 'Ryoko', figuring that might be it. The mini Washu stopped tapping and began to laugh.

"_Heh-heh_, s_orry. It was a good try, but that's the incorrect answer. Please try again in 24 hours. Any attempts beforehand will cause this disc to automatically be wiped out by a self-contained virus. Have a nice day!"_

"What?!? You can't be serious you worthless piece of shit! How dare you deny me of what I want! GRRR!!!" Nagi's cries of outrage went unanswered as she kicked the console out of frustration. Ken-Ohki stopped momentarily, wondering what was wrong.

"Keep going Ken-Ohki, I'm just mad at myself." _Damn that Washu! The password could be a number of names or things. Either she plans to slip it pass the Jurai cyber net to Lord Yosho or Mihoshi knows it. No, that couldn't be it. Knowing blondie, it could days before she remembers it. _

Nagi slumped back into her command chair feeling cheated, having been outdone by Washu_. _There was nothing she could do now except wait for another opportunity to arrive. If Mihoshi does know the password, she'd try to trick her into revealing it, otherwise she'd have to go about it by some other means in order to access the information once they were on Jurai. All she could do now is to put back the disc where she found it and that made the huntress smile for the moment.

                                                *******************************

PLANET JURAI…

"Lord Yosho, I have Lady Washu on a secure line. Should I patch her through?"

"Of course, Kamidake, she's way overdue for contact," The old Juraian stated as the trio of men waited for the image of Washu to appear on the monitor screen in Yosho's old palace quarters. After their conference with Princess Ayeka, Yosho directed Azaka and Kamidake to follow him and continue with their strategy against the council and the unknown enemy that had yet to be revealed.

"Lord Yosho…it's been awhile. How's everyone holding up?" Washu asked, her eyes revealing a sign of relief of being able to speak to someone in the Masaki family.

"We're all fine, Washu. I must apologize for the long delay in contact. It seemed that our ship's captain was under orders to keep radio silence throughout our journey to Jurai. It was the council's 'suggestion' that we be kept in the dark about our situation."

"So you couldn't communicate with anybody? Even on Jurai?"

"Not exactly, Lady Washu," Kamidake joined in on the conversation. "While no one was permitted contact outside the Juraian cyber-network, Lord Yosho was able to 'convince' the Saibankan's communication officer that an urgent message to Jurai was needed. Through a secure line, he was able to contact me and relay his instructions."

"Great thinking, Lord Yosho. So I guess my first question to you would be what's happening at your end?"

"Have a seat, Washu, this may take awhile…"

"I'll bet, now how's Ryoko holding up?"

"As we speak, Ryoko is being processed at the capital detention center and will remain there until her arraignment. Tenchi is with her right now to make sure nothing happens to her."

"Well, that's a relief. I thought she would've freaked out when she recovered from her injuries. I'm surprised she didn't try to break out of the ship."

"Oh, she did try, Lady Washu, but with a neural collar around her neck, she was powerless," Azaka added, leaving out some of the more 'interesting' details that occurred during his watch of the pirate in her med cell. "Ahem.  Needless to say, Lord Tenchi was extremely helpful in calming her down."

"Nobuyuki and I saw the transmission from Jurai when you guys landed. Tenchi really laid that reporter out cold. Does that mean Tenchi finally told Ryoko?"

Yosho smirked and looked at the older knight, "Azaka?"

"Uhm, yes, Washu. He did finally admitted his love to Ryoko," _And in ways I wished I didn't have to hear, Tsunami help me! _

"Well, it's good that Ryoko has something to hold on to," Washu said happily, knowing that Ryoko had some hope before her real ordeal began. "How's the Princess doing? From what I read over cyberspace, her position in the Jurai government is shaky right now."

"From what we have seen here, the people aren't too happy with Ayeka's performance, especially with her being away for so long," Yosho said in earnest, knowing the tough road Ayeka had to walk.

"Princess Ayeka has requested an audience with the Holy Council of Jurai, Washu. If she is to help herself and Ryoko, she needs to convince the ministers that she is still a capable ruler, and that Ryoko's trial will not be undermined by outside forces. However, we still have a difficult task ahead of us since the brother of the slain noble is a influential member of the cabinet, and he seems bent on handing Ryoko the death sentence."

"Well, I wish I had some good news to tell you, Yosho, but unfortunately Kiyone and Mihoshi's mission didn't go too great either."

"Oh? I know that you were supposed to contact them once they had reached Galaxy Police Headquarters. Were there any complications?" The older Masaki's eyes narrowed after hearing Washu's news. He was starting to wonder if anything would go right for them.

Washu tried her best to condense the chain of events of what happened on Trillian Prime.

"Okay, after the girls left the GP, they headed to Trillian Prime to meet up with a giant named Cullen who was an old comrade of Ryoko's. He met with her after she left Earth and just before Braga was murdered. Ryoko seemed to have left the planet without saying goodbye and when Kiyone came looking for him for some answers, he suspected something was up."

"Did he assist the ladies, Washu?" 

"You bet. He led them to the tavern where Ryoko was last seen and it turned out that the owner had a score to settle with her. Unfortunately, his associates killed him before he had a chance to talk, and in turn, Kiyone chased the bastards into space where there was one terrific firefight. I wasn't there of course, but I saw the video and boy did that battle beat any 'Star Wars' saga…"

"Washu, mind toning down your enthusiasm and continue with your report?" Yosho abruptly interrupted the little scientist, not caring about the score of the battle. "What happened to detectives Kiyone and Mihoshi?"      

"Uh yes, well they beat the other ship, but to the girls' surprise, Nagi came out of nowhere and blew the enemy ship away. Sadly, Kiyone didn't have the chance to interrogate the bad guys thanks to Nagi."

"Nagi, huh? Lord Yosho, it seems that we have a new player in this drama," Azaka said, sensing that Nagi's presence would add more to the mystery. "My lord, do you think her appearance is a mere coincidence?"

"Nagi has a history with Ryoko so her being there _'at the right time' _would hardly be considered accidental. I suspect that she has her own motives. Where's Nagi now Washu?"

"As we speak, she's heading for Jurai with Mihoshi, along with a disc containing the information that we are discussing. Kiyone is still on Trillian Prime with Cullen and plans to head for Xeria to dig up some more clues, assuming there's anything left to dig up."

"Still, the plan is sound and knowing Kiyone, she will encounter some of the elements that have started all this," Yosho surmised, knowing that the enemy would still had some influence on Xeria. "As for Nagi, perhaps if her motives are similar to ours, we can use her help. But what about this disc you mentioned? Since we're talking on a secure line, wouldn't the disc be worthless?"

"Yeah, to us maybe, but not to Nagi. Kiyone wasn't sure what the bounty hunter's motives were and so we devised this little ruse in order for Kiyone to get out of Trillian Prime undetected. Besides, with Mihoshi on board Ken-Ohki, Nagi should be there pretty soon, heh." 

"Yes. I'm sure that with Mihoshi's mastery of 'continuous dialogue', Nagi no doubt will leave a trail of half-fused plasma behind her in her effort to reach Jurai, heh" 

Everyone shared a laugh at Lord Yosho's comment, imagining how Nagi was dealing with the GP officer and her endless chatter. Once the laughter died down, Washu resumed with the more serious conversation.

"Lord Yosho, did you get the chance to unload the equipment I gave you?"

"No Washu, I haven't. Kamidake, have all my belongings been unloaded from the ship?"

"Yes, sire. All your personal items have been packed away by the palace servants. The red container that contains Professor Washu's device is behind the blue partition to your right. I wasn't sure what your plans were, so I felt it best that it stayed out of sight."

"Excellent idea, Kamidake," Azaka complimented his younger partner as he went over and opened the trunk and pulled out the three transponder sequencers that would allow Washu to open a dimensional portal from one end to the galaxy to another. "Lady Washu, have you had the opportunity to test your theory about using this device to transport a person across the galaxy?"

"I had Claybourne run some simulations in his databank. According to him, there was a 97% success rate, but of course we still need to try and run a live test since there may be some hidden variables that I haven't foreseen. Any volunteers?"

Everyone in the room eyed each other askance, knowing full well no one was going to be the guinea pig for Washu's latest experiment. Yosho, as always, suggested another option. "Um, perhaps it'd be wiser that you start with an inanimate object Washu? Just to be on the safe side?" 

"Pooh, you men are no fun." Washu pouted on the screen, then sticking her tongue out in defiance. "Fine, if you can find a place to setup, we can fiddle around with the equipment to see if it works."

"Well, my quarters here is larger than our living room back home on Earth so we'll set up the devices at the far end of the room," Yosho pointed out as he motioned Azaka to move the container towards the sleeping section of the room where halfway, huge drawn lavender curtains hung from each sidewall. When unfurled, they would cut the room in half, thus allowing privacy and in this case, absolute secrecy. Azaka continued to move the container as Kamidake drew the curtains in. When he found the right spot, Azaka opened up the trunk-like object and began to pull out what looked to be several tripods with a red colored glass ball on top of each one, as well as a keypad that was the size of a small calculator with a few color-coded buttons. 

"We really need to get this thing working soon, Lord Yosho, so I can start transmitting materials over to you for Ryoko's defense." The little redhead stated as played around with her holo-keypad. "I'm also having Claybourne do some background checks on Lord Braga for the last couple of years. I'm hoping we may be able to shed some light on why he was on Xeria and who would want to kill him."

"Good idea, Washu. Kamidake also is looking into some of Lord Braga's activities in last several years after Kagato's demise," The old Juraian said in earnest as he looked towards the young knight. "Kamidake, what did you find out about the jurisdiction issue with our friends on the Galaxy Police?"

Kamidake came over and pulled out a disc with the inscribed Juraian letters 'GP'. His expression was surprisingly pleasant as he handed it over to his master.

"I had to pursue several channels at GP headquarters until we found a willing ally that pointed me to several old archives, all related to the treaties and agreements that Jurai and the Galaxy Police had signed over the centuries. Interesting enough, when I mentioned to him that I was under your orders, he was more the willing to assist me in my search."

"Really? What was his name?"

"Captain Nobeyama. I found him to be an honorable man and he wished us luck in our attempt to save Ryoko." Kamidake answered, still puzzled of the GP officer's assistance.

"I'm sure he had his reasons Kamidake." _As well as helping out two of his subordinates. _ Yosho smiled, knowing who the good captain was, but like Kamidake, a little surprised that he offered his help in this investigation. He assumed that Kiyone and Mihoshi had the captain's absolute faith in them since he was willing to help their cause, albeit indirectly. 

"Tsunami must be listening to our pleas, Lord Yosho," Azaka commented, having finished unpacking Washu's transport equipment. "What are your next instructions, your highness?"

"Kamidake and I will examine the data he was able to retrieve from the Galaxy Police archives, while you will assist Professor Washu with her device." Yosho ordered his loyal knight as he examined the disc that Kamidake gave him. He walked over to the control console that was embedded on the wall, just above the viewing monitor and placed the disc into an empty slot. After reconfiguring the screen to allow it to have a dual display of Washu and the data, Yosho began to study the information in front of him. As he skimmed some the mundane language of the texts, he found something that made him smile.

Azaka and Kamidake looked at their prince with worry for they have never seen him smile like that before. Washu also looked at Yosho with a hint of curiosity. Rarely had she seen the old Shinto priest make any facial expressions, much less a happy one, but this time it was different.

"Lord Yosho, you're starting to scare me here. What're you so happy about?"

Yosho continued to smile happily while not say anything as the others looked on with confused looks on their faces. Moments later he broke his silence and spoke.

"Washu, that information you're trying to attain about Braga? Once you retrieve it, please forward it to me as soon as you can. Kamidake, when we're finished here, I need for you a place a 'call' back to Galaxy Police HQ under a secure line. I will give you an encrypted code for security and once you have established contact, relay the transmission here to my quarters."

"At once sire. May I ask who it is that you wish to contact?"

"An old friend that might be able to shed some light. You'll know who it is once you see his face on the transmission display." Yosho replied, knowing whom he needed to speak now. "As for my smile…let's just say that I just found something very useful in helping us with Ryoko's defense."

The old priest looked again at the monitor display, seeing an old written agreement that caught his eye, looking to be very pleased as he silently read through the text. 

"Yes, I think Tsunami may have heard our prayers for help. Let's just hope it's good enough to save Ryoko…"

                                                *************************************

_The stars look so enchanting tonight. Something about them mixed with the clouds always makes me feel so calm. I wish I could always feel this way. _

Ayeka stood outside her room, her body leaning against the edge of the marble stone rail of the balcony as she looked up at the evening sky, seeing the beautiful scenario that her planet's skyline was offering. After going through some more notes for tomorrow's session with the council, she had hoped that a quick shower, some green tea that she brought back with her from Earth and a quiet moment of meditation would take edge off her nerves and allow her to fall asleep. After ten minutes or so, she realized that she was still wound up so she got out of bed and took her green silk bed robe and headed towards the balcony. As a child, Ayeka would always look at the stars, wondering what distant worlds were out there. When her father came by to tuck her in, he would tell stories about his travels to other planets and the people that resided on them. The late emperor had always told his daughter that one day when she was old enough, she would see for herself how big and wonderful the universe could truly be.

_Father, it's been years since you and mother have 'passed' on. I tried my best to keep our family honor and traditions alive, but it's been difficult. Sasami misses you even though she barely remembers your faces. At this time of great peril, I only wish that you were here to guide me, to counsel me in dealing with this situation. Having Prince Yosho and his loyal knights have been a great source of comfort to me in that I can use their wisdom and experience, but I'm still so young and naive in many things. It's by the strength of Tsunami and the support of my adopted family that I'm able to move on like this. _

Ayeka slowly headed back to her room, her face downcast and dejected. She had hoped that some presence, some unknown force would come and tell her what she needed to know; something that made her feel that everything would turn out all right for her, Ryoko and the rest of the family. Despite the wishful thinking, that hope never came, so she re-entered her room and disrobed herself before sliding between her silky blankets on her bed and allowed her mind and body to drift off into a restless slumber. 

Slowly, in what seemed to be an eternity for the princess, she opened her eyes and saw herself in her royal white regal kimono. As she turned around, Ayeka noticed that a cold, thick mist surrounded her. As her eyes tried to pierce through the mist, she heard a haunting, yet familiar voice calling out to her… 

_"AYEKA. AYEKA?!? COME HERE CHILD, I CAN'T HAVE YOU WONDERING AROUND THE PALACE CAUSING MISCHIEF NOW CAN I?"_

_"_Who…who is it? Where are you?"__

_"Follow my voice child. If you listen to my voice, I'll tell you all that you need to know. A secret if you will."_

"A secret? Something I need to know about? Does this have to do with my recent troubles?"

_"Everything will be explained in due time my little Ayeka, but only if you come to me…"_

"But where are you?!? How do I find you in this thick mist?" 

_"Just open your eyes my child and everything will reveal itself to you…"_

Ayeka didn't quite understand what the voice was trying to say to her, but she closed her eyes for a few seconds and when they opened up again, the mist began to lift and as then the princess found herself in the long cavernous hall that led to the throne room. Being that no other entrance was around and no guards were standing by the great doorway, Ayeka decided to enter and seek out her mystery voice.  

As she entered the great doorway of the throne room, she looked up at the marvelous murals of the ancient trees, the symbol of life of Jurai. She remembered when Tenchi confronted Kagato, they had seemed to come to life, and their energy radiating towards Tenchi and distracting Kagato enough to have the boy defeat him.

The fog that clouded the hall had also filled the throne room as well, but as Ayeka kept walking along the carpeted floor that led to the stairs of the great chair of the king, she began to see a shadowy figure seated at the top. When she saw what appeared to be a huge figure on the king's chair, she stopped at the base of the stairs, afraid of whom it might be. It couldn't be Kagato for Tenchi had killed him in battle. Lord Yosho had a disdain for the responsibilities of the king so it wouldn't be him either. Ayeka was truly stumped of whom could it be. 

"_Why are you hesitating my child? You wouldn't be afraid of me now would you?"_

"Who are you? Who are you and what do you want with me?" Ayeka yelled out to the figure, still unable to see him clearly, "And what is this secret you keep mentioning?"

_"I am someone who knows you better than most. I know your fears, you insecurities, but most importantly, I know the inner-strength that you carry. That is probably the one secret you have kept hidden from everyone, especially from yourself."_

Curiosity started to take over as Ayeka began to ascend the stairs. The mist began to clear and soon she would know who her unseen companion was. The closer she got, she began to realize that the voice was getting more familiar, as if it was a voice from a past, someone whom she hadn't talked to in ages.

And when she reached the top of the stairs and stood right in front of the chair of the king, the figure rose up and through the last remnants of the mist, the princess saw the face of the last person she thought she'd never see again.

"FATHER?!? Father, is that you?" The princess gasped at the sight of her long dead father. King Azusa and his wife had been deceased for almost a decade, ever since they went off on an interstellar voyage a few years after Sasami was born and were never heard from again. Ayeka was only a young teen at the time, but when reports came in of the king's treeship being destroyed by a cosmic storm, she was thrust into the role of Empress of the Jurai Empire. It was a position she had to learn the hard way. Now, in this time of great distress, the one person she respected and looked up to the most was standing here before her, dressed formally in his green and gold trim uniform. His golden cape reached down to the sole of his feet as Azusa stood up with his royal golden staff firmly held with his right hand; the family crest stationed at on the top. It was a sight that Ayeka thought would be gone forever from memory, but there he was, standing right in front of her in the flesh…

_Or was he?_

_"Hello Ayeka. I see that you manage to find me through all this confusion."_

Ayeka didn't answered, but she immediately bowed down to the image of her father. She didn't know if this was real or a dream, but out of respect of his memory, she felt the need to pay homage.

"Father, is it really you or am I imagining all this? I missed you so much that I fear that I'm probably hallucinating…"

_"Whether or not I'm real daughter, the only thing that matters is that you felt the need to see me once more. Perhaps in reality I'm no longer with you, but you still carry the memories and much of the wisdom I've tried to instill in you. This mist that surrounds us represents the utter helplessness and confusion you're feeling right now. As you try to see things much clearer, it gradually dissipates."_

Ayeka still couldn't bear to lift her head up and face her father. Real or not, she felt that she had let him down as ruler of Jurai. Azusa was considered one of the greatest leaders in the long history of the planet which for Ayeka meant following in some pretty big shoes. The image of Azusa smiled lovingly at his daughter as he steppedoff from his seat of power and knelt down by the princess. Gently he cupped Ayeka's face, the tears flowing from her eyes and onto his huge hands.

_ "Stand up Ayeka. If you're to be the future empress of Jurai, kneeling is not an option," _Azusa lifted Ayeka's face and pointed out towards the vacant seat of power. "_There are many things that you were not prepared for when I 'passed on' and for that I'm truly sorry, however you are the descendent of the great kings of Jurai! The blood of nobility flows through you and as such, you are destined to rule this empire that I left you…"_

"I know that father, but so many things have happened recently that I have begun to doubt whether I am ready for such a task. You have left such a great legacy behind that I fear that I am not worthy to follow in your footsteps."

The image of Azusa nodded his head in disappointment. He expected more from his oldest daughter, but saw that she needed to be pointed in the right direction. He took Ayeka by the hand and escorted her to the chair and motioned her to sit. Afterwards, he walked towards the edge of the marble steps, surveying what was in front of him.

_"Ayeka, some children feel that they are not worthy to follow in same path as their parents; in fact most feel overshadowed by whatever accomplishments their ancestors may have achieved. However, that does not excuse you for trying to forge a path of your own. I may be gone, but a part of me is always with you…my love, my heart, my wisdom…all of these things I have tried to bestow upon you knowing that one day you will succeed me in the crown."_

Ayeka sat there silent, listening to what her father, or the image of her father was trying to convey. Deep within her, she knew all this to be true, but something or someone close to her heart needed to tell her this. This dream that she was experiencing was so vivid that she started to wonder if Azusa came from the heavens to tell her what she needed to hear; to confirm to her what she already knew about herself.

"_Ayeka let me ask you something. When your friends fought against Kagato, did you ever doubt their abilities? When young Tenchi crossed swords with that malcontent, did you actually believe in your heart that he would lose?"_

"No father, despite the odds against us, I never did lose hope," Ayeka responded, her mind starting to understand what Azusa was getting at, "Deep down within my soul, I always knew that we would prevail."

_"Then child, why do doubt yourself now? Your friends have a lot of faith in you, just as you had faith in them during those dark times. You have been taught by the best teachers on Jurai about handling people and sat by my side when I dealt with all the politics of our empire. There is nothing here that you haven't seen before and with your friends…correction…your family, you have a valuable supporting unit that no one can take away from you."_

"You're right father, I never thought of it that way…"

_"Ha, damn right you haven't, otherwise you wouldn't have felt the need to summon me from your subconscious," _Azusa laughed out loud, his voice traveling throughout the immense throne room. His positive outlook was starting to brighten up the princess' mood.

_"Remember Ayeka, when you face the Holy Council, they shall be expecting weakness from you, but that is something that you will not give them. You will face them with your head up, your voice loud and clear, and absolutely no wavering. It doesn't matter what they throw at you because you are the ruler of Jurai and therefore the final word stays with you. It matters not the words you say in order to sway their opinions, but the manner of how you convey them. If you truly believe in yourself and your family, your words will reach them and the people."_

"I'm beginning to understand father, but even if I managed to convince the ministers of my capabilities of being Jurai's ruler, how will I be able to convince them about Ryoko? She's my friend, father, probably my best friend and I have no means to save her."

The late Jurai King walked back from the edge of the steps and rested his two massive hands on his daughter's shoulders. His huge grin telling Ayeka that everything was going to work out.

_"There are some things a ruler can and cannot do. You must do what you can without compromising yourself and your friend. Remember what I said about your family giving you support? Whatever places you cannot go, they will go for you. Whatever task needs to be done, they will accomplish it. Whatever it takes to save your friend my child, have faith in them once more for Tsunami would never forsake those in need. There's a verse in the Holy Book of Jurai that says our patron goddess would never desert those who are righteous and if it's her will, she would lend us her strength and guide us to victory over those who would seek to destroy us." _

"I remember that. Mother taught Sasami and me during our daily tutoring," Ayeka said as she recalled those long sessions in the palace grounds with her younger sister. "I almost had forgotten about it."

_"Ha! Well, obviously you haven't since your subconscious managed to bring it up," _The image of the late king laughed loudly again, making his daughter blushed from her stale memory. _"It's a good sign that you remember your lessons from when you were younger."_

"I guess so."

"Good. Since I see that you're smiling again, I believe that I must take my leave…" 

"Father?!? Must you go now? I haven't seen you for so long and you words have opened my eyes. Can't you stay a little longer?"

Azusa smiled lovingly once more at his daughter before bowing down and kissed her forehead. With one gaze at her, he turned around and headed towards the stairs.

"_Like I said before child, I never left you. A part of me will always be with you until the last days. Everything that we have talked about you already knew Ayeka, you just needed a little reassurance that's all and I did just that. I can't say for sure whether or not I'm part of your subconscious or by the good graces of Tsunami been brought back from the great beyond to help guide you through your crisis, but one thing we both know is that you will do fine and Tsunami willing, you will emerge victorious."_

Ayeka slowly noticed that the mist was thickening once more, as if it was telling the princess that her time with her father was almost up. She continued to sit on the seat of power while the image of the great king began to disappear into the mist, but just before everything turn to black, she heard his final words…

"_Always remember that I love you very much Ayeka, and how proud I am that you are my daughter. Always remember that even though I cannot be there with you, my heart and spirit will always be a part of you and will do so until the end of time…"_

"G-Goodbye father. I love you too and I will prove myself worthy of your legacy…I will…I…"

Before she could continue, the mist overwhelmed the throne room, making it virtually impossible for Ayeka to see. Suddenly, she felt a force pulling her away from her chair, twirling her body around for what seemed an eternity until it finally stopped and in the next instance she rose from her bed, dripped in sweat, her mouth feeling parched.

With her heart racing, Ayeka got up from her bed and headed towards the window balcony. As she opened up the curtain, she saw that the Jurai sun was rising over the capital, signifying that morning had come. After taking a few moments to calm down, the princess walked over to the bath chamber in order to prepare herself for what promised to be a brutal session with the Holy Council.

As the palace servants entered to prepare her bath and clothes, Ayeka settled in the pool of warm water, trying to understand what she dreamt. Was it an image her subconscious mind invented in order for her to come to terms of what had to be done, or was it really Azusa himself, coming back from the dead to aid his eldest daughter in her time of need? The young ruler had no answers, but this much she knew: her father was one of the great kings of Jurai and he had taught her daughter everything he knew and that meant learning from the best. Deep down she knew she was more than capable of handling any crisis that came her way and with the help of her adopted family; there was no obstacle that can't be overcome.

As one of the handmaidens came over with a white towel and a pink and yellow flowery bathrobe, Ayeka recalled Yosho words that as long she was in charge; she was in control of the situation. Lord Aztek will try to be a divisive voice among the ministers, but as the First Crown Princess of Jurai, she was the final voice and Tsunami help them all if they got on her way. No one was going to take the crown away from Ayeka.

Determined as she was, her thoughts drifted back to Ryoko. As the ruler of the Juraian Empire, she has power over many things, but the laws are set and just. As much as she wished that she could overturn the charges and send Ryoko home with Tenchi and the others, She knew that it was not possible.

_As much as I'd love to, I'm still back to square one with Ryoko. If I try to intervene and overturn our laws, the council could accuse me of treason for turning my back on my people. As 'father' said to me in my dreams, it may come down to what the others can do. _

Ayeka sighed, as her optimism waned a bit, knowing the limitations of her authority over Ryoko's trial. Still, her confidence was restored and felt optimistic that despite the odds, she and the rest would overcome these troubled times.

_It's all I can do for now; hope and pray to Tsunami that in the end Ryoko is proven innocent and will go free, _the princess thought to herself. As she finished up dressing in her formal garment, she wondered what would her reaction be if she was to see her rival and Tenchi embraced in that happy moment when the tribunal clears her of all charges?

_Heh, I'll probably go up and embraced them both before slapping that pirate upside the head for putting me through all this grief. _She suppressed an urge to giggle.

                                                ************************************

0900 JURAI CAPITAL STANDARD TIME…

"HEAR YE, HEAR YE!!! Will all ministers and representatives please take your seats? This emergency session of the Holy Council of Jurai will begin shortly once her majesty, Princess Ayeka, has entered the chamber."

The room was nearly full of every minister and politician from every province of Jurai. They all had come to argue and to hear what the future empress of Jurai had to say. A small faction, led by Lord Aztek wanted to stir things up as to make the princess reconsider her position to ascend the throne. Some had felt that her overextended stay on the Earth was an indication that her dedication, if not her loyalties lay elsewhere. The few malcontents that were forcing the issue, wanted to see if today was the day the First Crown Princess of Jurai would take a stand for her ascension or step down in disgrace.

Adding into the mix was the status of a certain space pirate accused of murdering a Jurai nobleman and the situation had the potential of being extremely volatile. Aztek, unbeknownst to many, had manipulated the council and many of the media into thinking Ryoko was a horrible monster that had to be captured, convicted and executed at all costs. While no proof could be given that Aztek was behind the furor, many felt it was natural since it was his younger brother that had been killed and Ayeka's fall from grace could open up a path to the throne for him, if he so desired.

"Ministers! Honored guests! I present to you Princess Ayeka, future empress of the Juraian Empire!" rang out the Main Speaker of the Holy Council of Jurai as the massive twin doors opened up and slowly Ayeka entered the room, with Azaka and Kamidake flanking her at each side. Everyone in the room stood as the small party entered, making their way through the throng of dignitaries from all corners of the planet.

Behind them was Yosho, who had what appeared to be several brown folders containing documentation. Many of the ministers had never seen the old Juraian in person and to see the legend in the flesh was a bit overwhelming. As the princess made her way across the room, she felt the cold stares of many up front. The people bowed as she passed them, but their glares, the sudden hostilities towards her were making Ayeka uncomfortable. Regardless, she continued her walk until she climbed up the ivory marble stairs that led to the highest point of the room, where the monarch's chair was waiting for her.

The knights stood behind their ruler as she sat down with Yosho taking a seat just a level below Ayeka, sitting next to the Speaker of the Council. It was apparent to all that Lord Yosho would be assisting Ayeka during this session and for many in the warring faction, including Aztek, it did not sit well with them. As the people settled in, the speaker went up to the podium and began the session.

"By order of the First Crown Princess Ayeka, this emergency council meeting has been organized in order to settle several issues regarding the status of the rule of the Royal Family. As Juraian tradition dictates, any parties, with whatever grievances they came with, can rise and speak to the entire council assembly. Afterwards, when all who have stated their cases are finished, the princess will answer any allegations that have been brought before the council. Unless anyone has any questions, we will begin the proceedings. Who will be the first to state their grievance?"

"If I may Mr. Speaker?"

"The council recognizes Representative Toma from the Skaruli Province. You may state your case sir…"

The young Juraian was a tall, long blacked haired man who represented one of the northern provinces. He was the leader of the Mahu party, which was a moderate faction that did not share Aztek's political views. While many had lined up with the Minister of Public Information, Toma stressed the need for restraint. While many had questioned the loyalties of the Royal Family, the distinguished leader of the Mahu party preached patience until Ayeka's return to inquire about her recent activities.

"Thank you sir. Princess Ayeka, let me say that we are all pleased that you have arrived on Jurai safe and sound. However, many of us are worried about the recent events that have befallen our kingdom in these past few weeks. We are all saddened by the death of Lord Braga, but unlike some members of this council; the members of my party do not suspect that the Royal Family had any involvement in this incident." 

Ayeka was pleased to hear that not everyone was out to get her crown. She had only met Toma once or twice prior to her extended stay on Earth, but her impression of him was that the handsome politician was a capable man who had the respect of his peers and constituents. Her eyes remained fixed on Toma as he continued to speak…

"Now I'm aware that the main topic of discussion around the kingdom is the capture of the notorious space pirate Ryoko, and I'm most certain that justice will be done whether of not she had committed the crime, but regardless of the outcome your highness, some questions needs to be ask of you…"

Whatever positive outlook Ayeka was starting to believe in was wiped away from her face as she began to dread what was about to be said. Yosho, as well as Azaka and Kamidake remained stone faced, each observing the behavior of the council members. The old Juraian sensed that there was more than meets the eye and this was a good opportunity to measure those who would oppose Ayeka and her right to the crown. As they scanned the chambers, Toma continued to speak.

"Before this heinous crime was committed and even before the Kagato incident, you have stayed away from Jurai for a very long period of time, something no ruler should be doing unless there're important reasons. Princess Ayeka, I am asking…the people are asking why have you stayed away from us? Why have you forsaken your people and the empire?"

"Representative Toma, please mind your words!" the Speaker of the Council called out, not wanting to upset the princess.

"No offense was intended Mister Speaker. I'm sure that the princess was expecting these questions…"

"And I'm sure none was taken mister Toma," Yosho answered as he stood up to address the crowd. "You have every right to question the motives of the Royal Family especially after the recent events that have taken place."

Yosho looked around the chambers until he gazed his eyes on the one person who had plenty to gain by this turmoil, "Princess Ayeka will be more than glad to answer your questions, however I believe that Lord Aztek has a few words to say to the princess and the council."

Aztek was caught off guard by Yosho's sudden announcement. He had hoped to surprise the crowd and the princess, but based on the old prince's comments, he knew that they were prepared for him. As he stood up and approached the speaker's podium, his face was emotionless as he began to speak.

"Thank you, Lord Yosho. I also would like to express my joy of your recent return, as did our esteemed colleague Representative Toma. Indeed Princess Ayeka, all of us at the council are so elated at your return from your long journey to the Sol system. However, as Toma has stated earlier, your long absence from Jurai has greatly disturbed the people. When your father Azusa was emperor, never did he take such an extended leave unless it was in the utmost importance. Azusa was always close to Jurai, as well as to his people."

Sensing that the princess would be unnerved by his last comment, Aztek tried to keep the pressure on as he continued to speak.

"But that has changed in recent years. After the emperor's death, a great vacuum was left and the only person to fill that role was you, your highness, but it seems that you are not fulfilling that role as you are meant to."  Aztek continued to press his verbal attack on Ayeka as the princess began to squirm in her chair, sensing that council members believed the nobleman's words. "Several years back you were conducting your marriage meetings in the various locations that were assigned. Then, without warning you went off to the Sol system to answer a distress signal, which turned out to be from a marooned Galaxy Police officer and a wanted criminal. Now, things have turned out to be, how should I put it, interesting…? You forming an alliance with this space pirate, finding Prince Yosho and his grandson Prince Tenchi and in a bizarre turn of events, you and your band of space wanderers managed to save us from the evil that was Kagato."

Ayeka kept tapping her fingers against her right thigh, wondering how much garbage Aztek was going to spew out. She looked down at Yosho as Aztek continued to work the room into his favor. Yosho, sensing Ayeka's eyes were on him, looked back and with a wink and a warm smile, assured the princess that all would be well.

 "Now we are all most appreciative that your friends saved us, your highness, but instead of staying of Jurai to resume your duties as the First Crown Princess, you went back to Earth in a futile effort to win over Prince Tenchi's heart, a man who, I may add, rejected your offer to assume the crown and stay on Jurai."

"Lord Aztek, you're treading on dangerous ground here," The Speaker called out, trying to keep the session respectable and not a personal mudsling at Ayeka. "Any comments made here should be pointed towards the issue of the Princess' ability on ruling Jurai, not a open session on her personal life."

"But Mr. Speaker, her personal life does involve her ability to rule. It was her emotional attachment to the prince and her friends that made her stay on that backwater planet instead of being here and ruling the kingdom as she was supposed to. It's her friendship with that wretched space pirate that compounded our law officials to properly see to it that she be held accountable for the murder of my brother Lord Braga; a respected and man in the council and a loyal servant to the crown! Representative Toma asked the princess about her loyalties to her people, but I must ask her highness if she intends to assist or interfere with the trial of the infamous pirate Ryoko? Do you have a answer your majesty?"

This was it. All night Ayeka was worried about what was going to be said and what were going through the minds of the council members. If this was how they felt, then she could only imagine what her people were thinking. This was the moment the Azusa told her in the dream that she needed to shine. No fear, no doubt. Despite the circumstances, she needed to be in control and to let everyone in the chamber see it.

Slowly, she stood up and proceeded to make her way down the stairs to the podium as Aztek returned to his seat. Azaka accompanied the princess as she finally reached her destination. She calmly cleared her throat as all of Jurai's elected officials were staring down at her. She was thankful that these council sessions were closed to the public. Tsunami knew what the opinions would be if the people heard what Aztek had said. Gracefully but forceful, she began to speak.

"Ministers, honored officials and guests. As the First Crown Princess, I warmly greet you. I would like to say that I am very happy to be back on Jurai and with my people. Let me say this now that my loyalty has always and will be to the people of our great kingdom. I know that many of you have wondered about my position in the Royal Family, especially since I have spent a great deal of time on the planet Earth with Prince Yosho and his extended family."

Everyone in the chamber remained silent as Ayeka continued on. Yosho looked on contently, confident of Ayeka's abilities. Toma leaned forward, his elbows on the old wooden table that was before him, listening attentively. Lord Aztek also sat back on his seat, his face showing utter disdain towards the princess. He had made it clear that he would convict Ryoko if he could and anyone else that was involved, and if the Royal Family was implicated, then so be it.

Ayeka remained calm as she continued on, never showing a hint of nervousness or fear. There were rumors running about that her time on Earth had softened her, that it may have corrupted her to the point that she didn't wish to be queen. After her opening statement, she was trying her best to dispel those thoughts.

"It is true as Representative Toma and Lord Aztek had said that I have been away from Jurai for a long period of time, leaving much of my administrative duties to my loyal knights Azaka and Kamidake. However, I wish to make it clear that it was not my intention to remain on Earth indefinitely and to let the rule of the Royal Family become stagnant." 

The princess looked at Toma, her face displaying a warm smile, her eyes revealing her vulnerable side, "If my actions over the last several years were considered an act of neglect on my part, then I sincerely apologize to all for this was not the case. If an explanation is needed, then I would like to clear up any misconceptions that are laying about."

"Princess Ayeka forgive me, but you still haven't explained to the council of why you have stayed away for so long. With all due respect to your valiant knights, this kingdom needed a monarch to rule it and you weren't around," Toma injected, sensing the sincerity of Ayeka's words, but still not satisfied, "The fact that you have returned now due to the possible conviction and execution of your friend does not speak well of your motives nor your reputation."

"You're quite right Mr. Toma, I should've had returned prior to this incident. However, before I comment on my relationship with Ryoko, allow me to explain my reasons for my delayed return. It is known to everyone that I have been away on several marriage sessions to engage with other various monarchies that expressed their interest to ally themselves with us. It was during one of those voyages that I intercepted a distress signal and found myself on Earth with Lord Yosho, his grandson Tenchi Masaki and of all things, the infamous space pirate Ryoko. I did try to return immediately, but due to several 'mishaps', including the unfortunate destruction of my vessel and my sister's ship, I was unable to contact anyone until one of the Galaxy Police patrol cruisers came to investigate."

Yosho needed to cover his mouth and prevent anyone from seeing him form a wide grin, knowing full well that Ayeka herself caused the first accident and Ryo-Ohki losing her control over a carrot caused the second crash. It was fortunate that when Kiyone came to look for Mihoshi, she was kind enough to embellish her report to the GP officials so no one would suspect otherwise.

"Now, since this was the time that Kagato falsely made himself to be Lord Yosho and assumed the throne, there was no way for me to return without getting arrested for treason, as the false king tried to do. As it turned out, my merry band of space wanderers, as Lord Aztek put it, came with me and helped me save the kingdom. It was during that time in space that I had gotten to know both prince Yosho and Tenchi and strangely enough I formed a friendship with Ryoko. I will be the first admit that our relationship was strained at times, but when Lord Tenchi needed to come and save me and Jurai from Kagato, she willing risked her life to bring them here and nearly died for it. For that I will always forever be grateful to her."      

"That's may be fine and dandy Princess Ayeka and no one has forgotten what your friends have done for the kingdom, but not long after the Kagato incident you left for Earth again. It is only now that you're returning, due the arrest of your friend, " Toma stated the events to Ayeka again, still not satisfied with her answers, "Again I ask, why did you wait so long to return?"

The violet-eyed woman stayed silent for a few moments, trying to gather her thoughts. She knew why she stayed behind, but trying to tell the Holy Council that she returned to Earth for a love of a man who may not have returned those feelings, plus to stay with a group of people that she felt more at home than with her own people would not go over with her people. Within her mind, the image of her father appeared, smiling at her daughter and urging her to seize the moment before it's to late.

"To be quite honest, I felt that there was some unfinished business to be taken care of on Earth. When no word of Ryoko came through, I felt an obligation to return and see if she had possibly contacted Lord Tenchi and perhaps even made her way back. At the time of her valiant effort to assist Prince Tenchi and my knights, she sustained serious injuries that were; from I was told, almost fatal. Given that Earth's medical technology was crude at best and that Professor Washu was still at the science academy, I felt it was best that I return just in case she returned and was still hurt."

"Very commendable on your part your highness, although I'm sure that one of the royal physicians could had done the same if ordered to. Was the trip really necessary?"

"Mister Toma, how many people do you know dislike you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Toma politely asked, although puzzled by Ayeka's question.

"You heard me. Are you aware of anyone that really dislikes you? A rival perhaps?"

"I suppose so, although I never really thought about it much…"

"Then what if a hated rival went out of his way and helped you? Even though the individual had nothing to gain and much to lose and they still decided to help you, how would you feel about that person?"

Toma had no immediate answer. The scenario that Ayeka had brought up had taken him and the other council members by surprise. Even though everyone on the room knew that she was talking about her relationship with Ryoko, this was something they weren't expecting.

"I'm not sure princess, but I suspect that if someone of that nature were to do that for me, I guess I would feel the same as you. I guess I would feel some sort of gratitude and that the act needed to be repaid." It was at those last words that Toma finally understood Ayeka's steadfast support of Ryoko. 

"Then perhaps you can see why I did what I felt I needed to do sir. I will admit that by the time I reached Earth, Ryoko had already returned, as well as some of my other friends. It wasn't too long afterwards that we had to deal with the threat of that monster Kain and almost a year later Lord Tenchi was nearly lost to us when a lost spirit nearly claimed him for herself."

"Excuse me, did you say lost spirit?" Aztek asked, wanting the princess to clarify herself.

"What the Princess meant was the spirit of Haruna, an old love of mine who accompanied me to Earth years ago when I left Jurai, Lord Aztek," Yosho stepped in, having more knowledge of the subject than Ayeka did. It was during that time when Tenchi's feelings for Ryoko finally surfaced and even Ayeka saw it coming. The shrine master felt at the time had Tenchi made his feelings known to everyone, Ayeka would've have probably returned to Jurai, but due to his usual indecisiveness, the princess held out for that small hope that he would return the same affections she had for him.

"Her spirit was somehow awakened and took Tenchi off to some alternate reality fueled by the Jurai power that he possesses. It was a team effort, but had it not been for Ayeka and Ryoko constantly searching for him for months, we would've lost him for sure." 

_You're too kind Yosho. We both know who really saved him at the end and deservingly so. _Ayeka thought to herself, knowing full well had Ryoko not entered that dimension one last time; Tenchi would've been stranded.  "That was about a year ago, and Lord Tenchi then wished for me to stay as he completed his studies. Nothing had happened during that time until the murder of Lord Braga. Perhaps had I been here, something could have prevented it, but I can't say for sure. Braga was one of the first who accepted a cabinet position when most of the council members under Kagato had resigned. He was a good man and shall be missed."

"I thank you for your kind words about my brother your highness," Aztek replied, sensing that the mood of the crowd is starting to change in favor of Ayeka. "However the fact remains that you are associated with a well-known criminal who has been accused of murdering the Finance Minister. To make matters worse is that a member of another branch of the Royal Family; Lord Yosho's grandson to be precise is romantically involved with the accused. My question to you your highness is simply this: Where are your loyalties? Do you still plan lead our people or do you intend to defend outsiders?"

"Lord Aztek, I can understand your skepticism about my loyalties. However, I will not hide the fact that Ryoko is my friend and it pains me to see her locked up in our prison. I will not hide my admiration for her and if you were to ask if I think she committed this horrible act against Lord Braga, my answer to you is no; I do not believe she did it!"

The whole room went in an uproar as soon as they heard Ayeka's last comment. It was getting loud enough that the speaker rose from his seat and began to bang on his ceremonial table with his gavel.

"Order, Order! We shall not have any unruly outbursts until Her Royal Highness has finished. Everyone please settle down."  Ayeka was startled by the noise, but remain calm after a few moments passed and everyone returned to their seats. She'd finally said what she needed to get off her chest, but now was the time to let the council know who was in charge.

"Gentlemen, let me make this clear to you. You all assume that because I have been away for a long period of time that my authority over you and our people has grown soft. If any of you feel that way, then I dare anyone in this room to challenge my position as First Princess of Jurai. My friends and I once bled for all of you when Kagato nearly stole the throne and if need be, I would do it again, but I will not have anyone undermining my authority! My first priority, my loyalties have been and will always be the people of Jurai!" 

Toma's faction was the first to rise and applause and did Yosho and the knights. Eventually, the majority of the people stood up and clapped, with the exception of Aztek and his party. He was visibly annoyed with the sudden turn of events.

"Well, Princess Ayeka, I see that you haven't soften your stance in the last several years and I commend you for that. Since you made it clear of where your loyalties are, I, myself would still like to know what do you intend to do about the upcoming trial of your friend Ryoko? And what about Prince Tenchi, will he try to interfere with the proceedings?"

"Let me state for the record that the relationship between the accused and Lord Tenchi is not my main concern or my responsibility, and since Lord Tenchi had declined to ascend the throne, he has the right to live anywhere he wishes and to be with whomever he wishes. I assure you that despite what happened yesterday with that reporter, Lord Tenchi has been advised not to interfere with the laws of Jurai."

"And you princess? Will you stand there and accept whatever punishment the court decides to hand down on the accused or will you try to circumvent the court's decision should it be unfavorable towards the criminal?" Aztek questioned the princess one last time as he smirked at her direction, trying to put her in a bad position.

"As I said before, I still believe Ryoko had nothing to do with this crime. However, as ruler of the Juraian kingdom, I know the limits of my powers and if the courts decide that Ryoko is guilty of murder, I will abide by their decision, but understand this Lord Aztek, she will be given every full right that our laws can provide, so while I understand the people's need for a quick and just trial, this will not be public lynching and as ruler I will see to that."

The cheering was more subdued, as the council members felt more obligated to applaud rather than simply agreeing with the princess. Her point however was made.

"Now I believe I have answered Lord Aztek's questions. Representative Toma, do you have any other questions for me?"

"No your highness, I believe you made your point. Allow to say that you'll have the full support of my party should you ever have need of it. I don't fully agree with some of your decisions, but you have made it crystal clear of where you stand in these proceedings."

"Does anyone else have a grievance to state to the princess?" The speaker called out to the other members after Toma sat down, "If not, then the last right of statement goes to Princess Ayeka. Your highness?"

"Just one thing…you all have made clear that my presence was sorely missed and I do apologize for that. If things had been different then perhaps I would've returned sooner, but I think after hearing to what I had to say, I would hope that you all at least could understand why I acted in the manner I felt was best for myself and my friends. Since that was in the past and we're now heading towards the future, you can rest assured that I will be here for a very long time. Thank you for coming here today."

A thunderous applause rang out as Ayeka stepped off the podium and waited for Yosho and Kamidake to meet her by the doorway. As she began to pass by the first row of politicians, each one respectfully bowed to her, but with no malice in their eyes as earlier before. As the quartet reached the great doorway, Toma cut them off.

"Your majesty, I commend you on your stirring speech. I hope you wasn't offended by my comments?"

"Not at all Mister Toma, you have every right to question my actions. I just hope you understand why I did what I felt was right."

"Not everything your highness, but I still respect your decision nevertheless. If anything, your heart was in the right place and no one should question that. Again, welcome home your majesty."

"Thank you, Toma, it was a pleasure seeing you again."

Toma graciously bowed to Ayeka before heading off with the rest of the crowd, but before she could move Aztek and his aide waited for her by the doorway.

"A rousing speech Princess Ayeka. You actually managed to fool some of your constituents with your heartfelt words of loyalty and sympathy…"

"Mind your tongue Aztek! You do not have the right to address the princess in that manner!" Azaka barked at Aztek, feeling that the minister is forgetting his place.

"My mistake sir knight, I just wanted to congratulate the princess on a well thought speech. Obviously, she had some fine tutors at her disposal."

"Well, Lord Yosho did assist me in what I wanted to say Lord Aztek, but what I said out there was from the heart and no one should be questioning that," Ayeka responded as she stared up to the older Juraian. Aztek nervously laughed back, pretending that he wasn't affected by Ayeka's forceful presence. He thought that she would've come back from Earth as a scared child, but now he could see that this wasn't the case. 

Reluctantly, he bowed to the princess and was about to make his way out of the council chamber, but instead he went up to Ayeka and whispered something to her left ear before heading out the door.

"_This isn't over yet your highness. I'll be watching you and your friends and trust me when I say that the wench will get the full punishment she deserves for killing my brother!" _ 

Kamidake was about to step in before Aztek pulled back and walked away. He smiled and looked back, saying to her 'See you in court'.

Ayeka gave Aztek a leery look, wondering what the Information Minster was capable of. As she followed Yosho and the knights outside and into a waiting hovercraft with armed escorts, she began to wonder if she said the right things. She asked herself if she actually pulled it off, duping the council into thinking that she was in total control.

"Yosho?"

"Yes Ayeka?"

"Do you think today's session has helped us in any way?"

Yosho thought about it for a moment and smiled at the younger Juraian.

"I think your performance was superb Ayeka. If anything, the enemy now knows that they will have their hands full if they decide to come up against us."

"But sire, you don't suspect that Lord Aztek is our enemy?" Azaka questioned his liege. The old knight had assumed it's the minister based on his behavior today.

"That would be an easy assumption Azaka, but I suspect there's more than meets the eye. Aztek does have an agenda against the Royal Family, but my instincts tells me that he's using his brother's death as more of a political ploy than anything else. Whether he's the one that framed Ryoko I cannot say, but if he is, then that makes him involved in Braga's death."

"Doesn't speak well of him if he had his brother killed and if he did, what would be his motive?" 

"Again, I cannot say Kamidake, but I'm sure everything will come to surface once the trial begins."

_The trial…Ryoko's trial. It starts tomorrow with her arraignment and for now I must stand back and let Jurai's laws decide what her fate will be. _Ayeka said to herself, deep in thought. Today, she may have saved her crown, but whatever small victory she gained today would be for naught if in the end Ryoko still had to die. It was a road that they would all have to take and see through to the end. 

TO BE CONTINUED…

                                                ***************************************

A/N:  For those of you who were wondering where the hell I was, I apologized for the long delay. Sometimes real life takes precedence over our labor of love, but I got my issues resolved and hopefully I'll be updating more frequency.

Some of you may have noticed in that last chapter; I said that 'the arraignment' was to be the following chapter. Turns out I was getting ahead of myself which was another reason for pulling back and figuring out where I wanted to go with this story. Thankfully, I figured it out.

My thanks to Bobr for looking over this chapter and weeding out the mistakes. With writing a chapter this long, you know there's gonna be some bleeps and blunders

Thanks in particular to a certain Texas gal who offered plenty of neat ideas, including the chapter title. I'd give a hug if I could, but damn it my arms can't reach that far. ~_^

And thanks to those who offered their advice and support. Sometimes writing an epic like this can be trying, but since if you guys like it, I'll keep on writing.

RESPONSES FROM LAST CHAPTER:

Ma: Gracias por las palabras. Significan mucho.

K.Yoshi: Hell, sometimes I can't even spell my own name, but I'm glad you like the story.

Kyro2000: A good guess, but unfortunately you'll have to wait, heh. Anyway, I'm hoping that Ryoko being locked up and putting her faith on the rest of the family is a sign of maturity and an inner strength she probably never knew she had. She's gonna need it. I'm eagerly awaiting for your next chapter my friend; I really enjoy reading your Tenchi tale as well. 

In the next chapter, Kiyone and Cullen go to Xeria to dig up some more clues and get a warm reception. Meanwhile 'The Arraignment' gets underway so you don't want to miss it.

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.falc@verizon.net

Thanks for sticking with me.

Peace, Alighthawk


	14. The Arraignment

Disclaimer: The main characters in this story are property of AIC, Pioneer Viz Comics. All the other characters were created by me, so any similarities are just dumb luck so please don't sue me.

Author's notes: This story takes place about a year after "Tenchi Forever" in which it follows the "Tenchi Universe" storyline, though some names and places from the OAV and manga might appear. C C is welcomed, but easy on the flame throwing!

The Trial: by alighthawk Chapter 13 – "The Arraignment" 

"From the Interstellar News Channel, located in the heart of the Galactic Union, we take you now live to the capital of the planet Jurai with some late breaking news. On the scene is INC reporter Roan Darke. Roan, what can you tell us?"

_"Just minutes ago at the Holy Ministry headquarters here at the capital of Jurai, the Holy Council of the Juraian Empire has just adjourned and from what my inside sources has told me, Princess Ayeka has survived the political pressure from the Council to step down as ruler of the Kingdom of Jurai."_

"Roan, this is Xandu Artraides. Can you tell us what was said during the council session? We understood that a couple of key cabinet officials stated their grievances to the princess. Did the officials demand that Princess Ayeka step down from the throne?"

_"Xandu, we don't have any audio or video due to the tight security surrounding the meeting, but my sources tell me that the leader of the Mahu party presented himself at the speaker's podium and demanded that the princess reveal her reasons for being away from the kingdom for such a long period of time. As you well know, Ayeka and her younger sister, Princess Sasami had been staying on a remote planet at the far end of the galaxy where they discovered that the legendary Prince Yosho was living in a self-imposed exile. It wasn't too long ago that the Royal Family and several allies, including the infamous space pirate Ryoko helped overthrow the rule of Kagato."_

"And that same pirate Ryoko is now being charged with the murder of the finance minister, Lord Braga; am I correct Roan?"

_"You're absolutely right Xandu. It is for that very same reason that the status of the Royal Family is now being questioned. Ryoko is accused for murdering Lord Braga and there is speculation that possibly Princess Ayeka or even Lord Yosho himself had harbored the criminal Ryoko after the killing_. _And to further complicate matters is that Prince Yosho's grandson, one Tenchi Masaki is romantically involved with the infamous space pirate. I tried to question the young prince yesterday as they disembarked from the Warship Saibankan and in a fit of rage; Prince Tenchi struck this reporter down to the ground. If you can get a good close-up of the right side of my face, you can still see the welt that the earthling left behind."_

"Wow Roan, that's a real shiner you have there. That must've really hurt…ahem…such an uncalled act on the prince's part. Anyway Roan, what else can you tell us?"

_"Xandu, sources tell us that along with Representative Toma, the Minister of Public Information, Lord Aztek had also spoke at the podium, questioning the Princess' loyalty to the Jurai Empire. However if the council members were expecting a concession speech from her royal highness, they were sadly mistaken for as far as we know for the present, the Royal Family is still in control of the Jurai kingdom."_

"Amazing Roan, but can you be more specific in what did the princess said to the council?"

"_Xandu, as far as we were told, the princess offered a sincere apology and a believable explanation with regards to her time off Jurai, presumably assisting Lord Yosho on Earth after the Kagato incident. Despite the circumstances surrounding the Royal Family, neither evidence nor accusations have been directed towards them. From what I was told, Princess Ayeka's stirring speech has it clear that she has no intentions of relinquishing her hold to the Jurai crown and with Lord Yosho on hand in what was his first appearance in the main assembly hall in so many years, she will remain on Jurai to ascend the throne."_

"An interesting development Roan, but did anyone bring up the upcoming trial of space pirate Ryoko to the princess? Did anyone questioned her about their relationship or the relationship between Ryoko and Prince Tenchi?"

_"Xandu, we were told that Princess Ayeka was straight forward about her relationship with the accused and that she still believed in her innocence. However, her majesty was forthright in telling the assembly that she will not intervene with Ryoko's trial, stating that the laws of Jurai are specific regarding the monarchy's power over the legal system. As for the relationship between Prince Tenchi and the accused, she had no comment…"_

"So as far as we know ladies and gentlemen, the Royal Family under Princess Ayeka has withstood the political turmoil that has plagued Jurai in the last several weeks. Roan Darke, thank you for the report…"

_"We'll continue to monitor the situation on Jurai starting with today's arraignment of space pirate Ryoko and any late breaking news that comes along. Back to you Xandu…"_

"That was Roan Darke reporting live from the Jurai capital. Please tune to INC for late breaking announcements as they develop throughout the day and we'll be right back at 3:00pm Juraian timefor the arraignment of the space pirate Ryoko for the murder of the finance minister Braga…"

"Blah, blah, blah; can't those guys give it a rest? I mean really, am I the only thing that's going on this Tsunami forsaken place?" Ryoko sighed as she watched the newscast from her secured cell; looking disenchanted about her predicament.

Since her arrival on Jurai, the cyan haired pirate had been locked up in a maximum-security cell deep within Jurai's planetary prison. The section where she was assigned to was specifically designed for class 1A type criminals where each cell was equipped with an electro-static force field that prevented anyone from entering or leaving through the hallway or through the air vents that's positioned above the cell's ceiling. The cell itself was sparse with only a folding bed that's attached to the sidewall, a toilet with a rusted folding partition for privacy and a sonic shower and sink. The government officials that were in charge of the prison budget decided that constant water consumption by condemned criminals was a waste of precious resource.

The only luxury that a prisoner was given was a satellite digital monitor that transmitted certain channels that the prison allowed. It was nothing fancy, only a 17' inch square color set that was hanging from the far corner of the cell. Ryoko was lucky enough that she could watch TV while laying in her bed, as she was accustomed to doing when she was back at the Masaki house; laying on the couch and being able to watch some soaps or pro-wrestling before Ayeka would pounce on her and make her do the house chores.

It was those times that had her reminiscing in her cell as she watched the newscast about her upcoming trial. As she fumed over Darke's live report, an elevator opened up from the far end of the hallway and out came Lucas with a tray of food. Ryoko pretty much forgotten what time or day it was, but smelling the aroma that traveled to her cage, she guessed that it was breakfast.

"Hey Lucas, what you got for me?" Ryoko asked as her nose continued to take in the aroma as the Juraian soldier took off the oval metallic covering and revealed of plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and reddish flaky bread that passed for toast on Jurai. "Well, it ain't the royal palace, but it'll do. Man, do I miss Sasami's cooking right now."

"Yes, I hear that the princess was a extraordinary chef back on Earth," Lucas spoke as he heard about Sasami's culinary talents, "I do believe that Prince Tenchi might bring her with him for a visit."

Lucas went over to the sidewall next to Ryoko's cell and opened a panel that contained a sequence of numbers and a retina scanner for identification.

"Lady Ryoko, you need to put you collar on. You know the rules."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. We don't want them to think I'm planning a escape now do we?" Ryoko replied sarcastically as she reached for her neural collar that was lying on top of a side table next to her bed. The cell design was the same as the sick bay back on the Saibankan in that the entire room was equipped with an energy field dampener that neutralized Ryoko's powers. However, since the entrance of the cell was an open space when the stasis field was powered down, there was always the possibility that a prisoner with special powers could try and make a break for it so before any guard or prison official could power down the electro field, every prisoner must wear their neural collar before anyone can enter or leave.

When Ryoko clipped on her collar, a slight static shock touched the back of her neck, making the back of her hair curl up momentarily. Every collar contained a miniature nano-fusion battery that enabled the collar to neutralize a super powered criminal; in Ryoko's case, the Jurai military created a duo-battery powered collar knowing that the pirate's powers could level the entire city if she wanted to. The constant static shock and low hum of the batteries were clearly irritating her.

"Say Lucas, just out of curiosity, what would happen if I did decide to make a break for it? Suppose I decided it was time to split?" Ryoko asked her reluctant captor.

"Well, should you get out of your cell and get past me, the hidden surveillance cameras and sensors would reveal your location to the central monitoring station that's located a few levels up and most likely a squadron of Jurai's most elite paratroopers, in your case probably two, will be waiting for you before you get out of the elevator."

Lucas wasn't sure if Ryoko asked that question out of curiosity or because she was actually considering it. Like most people on Jurai, the young soldier had heard only the wild stories about the legendary pirate and her escapades. When he arrived on Earth to capture her, he had reservations, but after spending time with her, Tenchi and Royal Family, he knew that most of the stories about her were taken out of context so after hearing the question, he had hoped that she wasn't planning anything foolish.

"Lady Ryoko, for your sake, I hope that you're not planning anything foolish. I do have great respect for you and while my main duty is to protect you from any would-be assassin, I cannot allow you to escape…"

"I know that Lucas, I was just making conversation, that's all," Ryoko answered as she batted a playful wink at her would-be protector, "Besides, I can't do much with this damn thing around my neck."

"You're fortunate that Krieg is even allowing you to move about your cell without it. Had he felt that this room couldn't contain your powers, you'd be wearing it permanently."

"Yeah, you're probably right Lucas. It's just that I hate feeling confined like this and with Tenchi not being here, I'm feeling a bit antsy," Ryoko sighed as she paced about in her cell, her arms folded as if she felt a chill up her spine. As promised, Lucas had stayed with Ryoko all night as Tenchi reluctantly left his love and returned to the palace to check on everyone else. Both of them promised each other that they would both try to get some rest before today's media circus would resume. Ryoko had very little rest, given the constant tossing and turning, dreading that her arraignment was going to be very one-sided. Knowing Tenchi, she figured that he would probably be in the same condition as well.

As Ryoko put on the collar, Lucas placed his right eye directly in front of the scanning device and instantly the field gave a quick zapping sound and disappeared. As Ryoko was returning to her bed, she heard a clicking sound from behind her neck. She sat down as Lucas brought her breakfast and explained to her that the collar was linked to the cell. If the electro field was deactivated, the collar automatically turned on and the reverse when the field was reactivated. The constable had initially considered that Ryoko would wear the neural device all the time, but decided that there was enough security to watch over the pirate. She was about to dig into her food when she heard a hissing sound from around the corner and by the scent she immediately recognized who they were.

"Tenchi, is that you? Is Sasami there too?"

"Yep and we brought some goodies for you," the young prince happily answered as he and Sasami turned the corner and appeared before a thankful Ryoko and Lucas.

"Oh Ryoko, you're ok! I was so worried!" Sasami yelled out as she ran to her friend and gave her a big hug. Ryoko returned the embrace as she stroked the little girl's hair and planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"I missed you too kiddo, but don't worry, they've been treating me good so far."

"That's good to hear otherwise I would have to complain to management about the room service here," Tenchi joked as he placed a huge brown shopping bag on top of the bed. He waited for Sasami to step back before strolling over and giving Ryoko a gentle, loving kiss.

"I really missed you last night…" 

_"And I missed you as well," _Tenchi whispered into Ryoko's ear, feeling the warmth of her body against his.

Tenchi was feeling guilty that he had to leave Ryoko for the night, but since the facility was locking down all the prisoners for the day; he had no choice but to be escorted back to the palace. Lucas reassured the prince that he would stand guard and protect the cyan-haired beauty from any would-be assassin or vigilante, but that didn't ease his mind.

When he returned to the palace, he was going to see how Ayeka and the others were faring until he bumped into Sasami. The little princess had just finished making an evening snack for her and Ryo-Ohki when she saw Tenchi and explained to him what was happening. Yosho had just issued an order to everyone in the palace that Ayeka was not to be disturbed so Sasami decided not to bother her older sister until after the council session.

Tenchi really wanted to check on Ayeka and his grandfather, but figuring that their preparation for tomorrow's meeting was more important, he decided to wait until the morning. It was there that Sasami asked him if he was going to see Ryoko in the morning and he silently nodded. Thoughtfully, he asked the little girl if she wanted to go with him and see Ryoko and Sasami happily answered yes. As the pair wished each other goodnight, Sasami told Tenchi to meet him at the kitchen where she would make a special meal for Ryoko. Tenchi smiled, knowing the gesture would mean a lot to his love.

Tenchi snapped out of his short flashback, as he was about to put his lips on her neck. As his right hand reached around Ryoko's slender neckline, he felt the infernal mechanism that was keeping Ryoko from using her powers.

"See you still got that thing around your neck. I thought you could take it off once you're inside your cell?"

"As long as she remains in her cell and under constant surveillance, Constable Krieg will allow Lady Ryoko to remove her collar, but since the containment field is down she has to wear it my lord."

"It's ok Tenchi. If that what's gonna make them happy, then I'll wear it," Ryoko answered, as she grabbed Tenchi's hand for reassurance. She feigned a smile for him and Sasami, but Tenchi knew that being in this place was slowing killing her. What he wouldn't do to make this whole incident go away and just go back home to Earth with Ryoko and start a new chapter in their lives. Deep inside his soul, he cursed at the name of Lord Braga, even though the man wasn't directly responsible for Ryoko's predicament, it seemed his very name had placed a curse upon the whole Masaki family.

"Say Sasami, where's Ryo-Ohki? I thought you brought her with you?" Ryoko asked while she broke away from Tenchi and walked to the bed, her nose taking in the wonderful aroma that was coming out from the shopping bag.

"Ryo-Ohki? Oh, I'm sorry Ryoko, but I was told not to bring her here…"

"And pray tell, why not?"

"Because the prison officials were afraid that if they allowed your cabbit inside, you would use her to try and escape," Lucas finished the sentence knowing why Ryo-Ohki wasn't here.

"Oh man, you got to be kidding me!" Ryoko yelled out as she slapped her forehead in disbelief, "Tenchi, did you know about this?"

"Not until our armed escort picked us up. They weren't going to take us here unless Ryo-Ohki remained behind. I'm sorry Ryoko, but there wasn't much I could do."

"This sucks Tenchi! It really does! How much longer do I have to prove to these assholes that I ain't planning on escaping?" Ryoko kept sounding off as she began to pace around the room, making everyone else nervous. "It ain't fair Tenchi, it just ain't fair!"

"I know that Ryoko, but remember we're on Jurai now playing by their rules. As long as we remain clam and patient, we'll get over this…"

"I've been more than patient Tenchi. More patient than I ever been in my whole life." Ryoko continued to walk around her cell, her face turning red with anger. As she looked at Tenchi once more, he could see the tears rolling down her face, showing the frustration that she had been trying to hide.

"They ain't gonna be satisfied until I'm dead and you know that!" And without warning Ryoko slammed her right hand into the sidewall. The wall was made mostly of concrete and when her fist connected, it left a sizable hole that instantly triggered the security alarms.

_"Officer Lucas, we have a security alarm triggered at cell block number 823. What seems to be the disturbance?" _A voice spoke out through the prison's intercom.

Lucas quickly ran out and reactivated the field, leaving everyone inside. Afterwards, he pressed a button on the wall intercom to respond.

"Uhm, nothing serious. Th-the prisoner was just overly excited to see the prince, that's all. She's still secured in her cell."

_"Hmm, very well. However, if another alarm goes off, we will have to report this to Constable Krieg…"_

"Understood, Lucas out." The young Juraian felt perspiration starting to form on the top of his eyebrows so after wiping them off, he immediately turned his attention back to his frustrated prisoner and company.

"Lady Ryoko please! If you cause any more problems, Krieg will put you in suspended animation; he was dead serious about that."

"I don't care! Let the fucker try and put me in confinement because he's gonna see how pissed off I really am!"

Ryoko's golden eyes were lit up like two fiery orbs. Everyone in the room could feel the anger radiating from her body and despite having the neural collar on, she still had the strength to put a hole in the cell wall. Sensing that she was about to lose control, Tenchi stood in front of her, his hands firmly grasping her shoulders as he tried to calm her down.

"Ryoko, I know you've been through a lot, but you have to have faith in all of us. Ayeka just got through the council session and she's still in control, which is a good sign. I'm sure by now grandpa and Ayeka have come up with something to help your case."

Tenchi gently reached up to Ryoko's face, cupping her flushed cheeks. For a few moments, they looked at each other intensely, knowing what each one was feeling. Slowly and carefully Tenchi continued his impassioned plea to his love.

_"Please darling, you got to hang in there. Please…do it for me." _

Ryoko stood there, taken in by Tenchi's soft brown eyes, saw the worry that she had in him. As she turned towards the bed, she saw a worrisome look on Sasami with Lucas standing beside her; also looking scared. With a deep breath, she grabbed Tenchi's hands and lovingly kissed them before she backed off. Her face wasn't as red as before, but she was still crying, her body a bit shaken.

"I-I'm sorry my love for worrying you," Ryoko said, her voice still sounding shaky. "I apologize to you all. It's just I never felt this helpless before and I don't know what to do…"

"It's all right Ryoko, we understand how you feel," Sasami answered as she left Lucas and took Ryoko's right hand. Ryoko couldn't help but smile as she saw that lovable girlish smile that she had grown to love over the last few years.

"I know that kiddo. It's good to know that I got friends that are there for me…"

"More than friends Ryoko…family." Tenchi added as he reached out for his lover's other hand.

SNIFF "I-I think I'm gonna cry again. Can I get a hug?"

Without answering, the threesome gathered for a group hug. Lucas stood quiet, admiring the strong bond that was before him. Somehow, he sensed, they were going to get through this.

The WAFFY moment didn't last long as footsteps could be heard storming out of the stairways and the elevators as Constable Krieg and a dozen paratroopers formed a firing line right in front of the cell, startling everyone inside.

"Constable, what is the meaning of this?" Tenchi demanded to know as he saw the soldiers' weapons aiming for the cell.

"There was a alarm coming from this cell so I decided not to take any chances…"

"But sir! I responded to the alarm and told central station that nothing was going on," Lucas added his voice to the conversation, fearing that something like this would happen, "The prisoner got overly excited when she saw the prince…"

"Yes, I was told about that, but considering of whom we're dealing with, I'm not about to take any risks." Krieg answered as he and Ryoko glared at each other. Ryoko was about to say something until Tenchi grabbed her arm, motioning her to keep out of it.

"Constable, I'm getting tired of telling you that Ryoko has no intention of escaping. The fact that you have forbidden Ryo-Ohki from coming here to see her mistress should be enough satisfaction to you. Now I strongly suggest that your men stand down, otherwise you're going to have something other than Ryoko to worry about."

Krieg was finding himself in a sticky situation. As per regulations, the Juraian official was doing what he was suppose to do when responding to a potential breakout, but he also knew that the Ryoko's powers was neutralized and even if she wanted to escape, she was no shape to do so. There was also the matter of dealing with Tenchi and the Royal Family; Tenchi gave his word that no one would help Ryoko escape and that she will stand trial to prove her innocence and so far he had done so.

Just by glancing at the hole on the wall, Krieg could assume that the pirate might've been excited to see the prince, but considering the angry look on her face, it would be more likely that she lashed out in anger. Based on the damage she did, Krieg may have to find a more powerful neural collar for Ryoko when she goes to court. By all rights, Krieg can forcibly remove Tenchi and Sasami from the prison, but he had no idea what the young man would do, especially since he was not about to take out the Tenchi-ken, nor does he wish to explain his actions to Ayeka if things got out of hand. Reluctantly, the constable caved in.

"Lower your weapons and return to your stations. I'll deal with this."

Slowly the soldiers lowered their high-powered photon rifles and marched back through the stairways. Krieg then motioned Lucas to stand back from the wall console as the constable used his retina id to open up the cell.

"My lord? Would you please step out of the cell? I would like to have a word with you."

Tenchi hesitated at first, but since the soldiers left, he thought it would be all right. Slowly he walked out as Ryoko and Sasami stayed inside, the little girl tightly gripping her hand with Ryoko's.

"My lord, try to understand my position here. Ryoko has been wanted throughout the universe for who knows how long and the fact that she's being detained here means that all Juraian prison protocol must be put into effect; regardless on whether she is innocent or guilty of the crime is of little consequence. I can understand her frustration, as well as yours, but any disturbance that occurs here must be recorded and if I do not act on them, it would be consider a breach of duty."

"I could appreciate the position you're in constable, but I have given you my word and that should be enough…"

"Given the present status of the Royal Family my lord, how many people are going to 'take your word?" Krieg said with a straight face, but sarcastic tone. "This incident can be overlooked, but should that woman give us any trouble, I will put her in solitary confinement whether Princess Ayeka likes it or not. It is within my right to do so my lord."

Tenchi glowered and mumbled something under his breath that the constable couldn't make out. As much as he wanted to knock the constable unconscious, he knew that the Juraian law official was correct and all he could do was to try and keep Ryoko calm.

"All right constable, I see your point. Let me talk to Ryoko. I'm sure there won't be any further mishaps again…"

"See that it doesn't. In approximately two and a half hours, an armed squadron will come and escort the prisoner to the Ministry of Justice so that her arraignment can commence. Her defense lawyer will be arriving soon so I suggest that she prepares herself," Krieg checked his watch for the time before looking back at the quartet, "Lucas, when you have secured the prisoner, please go to the supply master where her belongings are being stored. I'm sure she would prefer a change of clothing before making her debut in court."

"Gee, how thoughtful of you constable." _Prick…> _

"Save your gratitude for the Judge Advocate prisoner Ryoko; you're going to need it."

Krieg quickly entered the elevator as he heard Ryoko mumbled something under her breath. No doubt something unflattering. With her collar still on, Lucas deactivated the static field.

"Uhm, my lord you can stay inside with Ryoko or outside, but I must keep the field up until I return…"

"I'll stay with Ryoko Lucas, but can Sasami go with you. Sasami? You know what to get right?"

"Heh, sure thing Tenchi. I'll make sure to get something revealing so that the judge will get distracted."

"Sasami! You're starting to sound a bit hentai. I think you've been hanging around with me too much," Ryoko laughed, as she couldn't believe what the little girl was suggesting.

"Well, it worked on Tenchi didn't it?" Sasami answered as Tenchi's face changed to beet red. "I'll be right back."

As Lucas reactivated the cell and went off with the little princess, the two lovers sat side by side on Ryoko's bed, thinking about what would happen next.

"Tenchi? I'm sorry for blowing up like that. I do have faith in you guys, but sometimes I still lose it when I'm angry. I guess I haven't changed at all despite being with you all these years."

As Ryoko's sullen face turned away, Tenchi reached out and pulled her face back to his, pressing his warm lips unto hers. All Ryoko wanted to do that moment was to melt into his arms, forgetting what was happening. Tenchi wrapped his arms around her, wanting to protect her from those who would want to do her harm, but knowing that this was only a brief reprieve. Ryoko positioned her head on Tenchi's chest while he gently began to cradle her. Neither one said a word to each other, just enjoying the warmth of their bodies next to one another; feeling the love they had for each other. If nothing else, it was their love that was going to see them through this ordeal.

PLANET EARTH…

"Washu? Washu? Where are you?" Nobuyuki cried out as he made his way into the labyrinth of passageways that made up Washu's lab. Even though he'd been inside on numerous occasions, it always appeared to Tenchi's dad that everything from the equipment, to the walls and even the floor seemed to change with every visit, as if the lab was alive somehow. Reluctantly, he began to tread his way through, carry with him a tray of miso soup, steamed rice, some greens and a kettle of steamed green tea. On his left hand, he was holding a black plastic bag that held something else, making a crackling sound as the black haired man walked along the long corridor. Ever since the rest of the family left Earth, Washu had permanently bunkered down inside her lab, trying to find any clues that would help Ryoko. If the rest of the girls had been here, one of them would at least tried to pull her out when food was being served, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Nobuyuki had kept himself busy by putting in some long hours at work while tending to the house when he arrived back from the office. Feeling powerless at times, he felt that the best remedy for him was to be totally occupied at all times, otherwise the thoughts of Tenchi being away on Jurai, watching Ryoko being put to on trial and the difficulties the others were facing would drive Nobuyuki crazy.

"Oh Mr. Masaki! I wasn't aware that you had entered, are you looking for Professor Washu?" The metallic voice of Claybourne resonated throughout the lab as the AI assistant of the scientist greeted the startled Nobuyuki.

"Uh, yes…you could say that. Say, why is it when I set foot in this lab, it always looks different?"

"Oh, well that's probably because when Professor Washu does a new experiment or invents something, I tend to move things around and since I'm not human, I have no preference as to where the equipment goes since I know where to find them."

"Hmm, well that makes sense I suppose," Nobuyuki answered, still feeling awkward in having a conversation with a machine, "so where is the greatest genius in the galaxy?"

"Just follow my 'eye' and I'll take you straight to her." Claybourne replied as a round symmetrical ball floated towards Tenchi's dad. It had a red orb for an eye located at its center, which shot out a laser like light that aimed itself towards its human guest. A few seconds later, it spun around and preceded towards its next destination as Nobuyuki timidly follow suit.

A few minutes later, Nobuyuki saw a floating red reclining chair hovering above a vast sea of machinery that seemed to encompass the whole lab. The blinking lights and sound that each device gave out gave the impression that one could be in the downtown district of Tokyo with its bright neon lights and the noise of the crowd.

The floating chair seemed to be suspended in the air with no movement whatsoever. Nobuyuki couldn't tell whether the red-haired scientist was asleep or deep in thought. As he got closer, Claybourne startled him with an announcement…

"Washu, you got company! Mr. Masaki has brought you something to eat!" Yelled out the AI, sounding like Washu might have dozed off.

"Huh? Oh thanks Claybourne and would you be a dear and bring up the schematics of the _dark talon_? I want to verify something."

"Yes ma'am, coming right up," And with that, the various screens throughout the lab began to display pictures and drawings of the destroyed ship that tangled with Yagami and Ken-Ohki.

"You okay Washu? You seemed pretty drawn into your work. I'll just leave lunch here and let you continue with your research…"

"Nonsense Nobuyki, I could use a break actually," the diminutive scientist replied as she leaned back on her floating chair and stretched out her arms and back, causing some of her bones to crack.

"Mmmm…that's smells good. Thanks for bringing it to me…"

"Might as well considering you tend to spend hours at a time down here without taking a break. You may want to relax for a awhile Washu." Tenchi's dad suggested.

"No can do Masaki! Until this crisis with Ryoko is over and the one responsible is caught, I'm not resting! Her arraignment should be coming up soon and every second we waste here could mean her freedom and her life."

Nobuyuki saw the determined look in Washu's face as she picked up a spoon and began to sip her soup. In the few years that he had known her, the little redhead would have a playful, impish expression that rarely revealed a serious side to her even in times of trouble, however due to the present situation, Washu was neither laughing nor playing around, not with so much on the line.

"Hmm, what's in the bag Nobe?" Washu asked, her eyes darting at the black bag.

"This? Figure later you may want something to take the edge off your nerves. Being tense all the time isn't good for your health; as a scientist you should know better." Nobuyuki replied as he opened up the wrinkled bag and pulled out a long white bottle of sake that he purchased on the way home. Carefully he pulled two small drinking glasses and poured some in.

"Thanks Nobuyuki, you're a good man," thanked the redheaded genius as Tenchi's dad passed a glass up to Washu's floating chair; his face slightly blushed by her compliment.

"Uhm, you're welcome…so Washu, got any leads so far?"

"Well, to date I have determined that the image of Ryoko on Xeria was a holographic projection and based on the reflection and size of it, I can state that it was probably a woman who killed Braga, but with this lousy data copy I can't tell much more."

"And I guess that means the evidence would be considered circumstantial?"

"Under Jurai law that data wouldn't hold up a glass of water, much less getting Ryoko off the hook. They can always claim that it was a glitch in the security video. _However…"_

"However what Washu? Found something on the screen?" Nobuyuki asked curiously, not being sure what the little genius was getting at.

"However my dear Nobuyuki, I'm betting that whoever was the killer; either she or her accomplices might have left some DNA residue at the murder scene…"

"That's a mighty big assumption Washu. Even if you're right, it's been a few weeks since the incident so wouldn't that DNA fade away in time?"

Washu paused for a moment as one her view screens began to flash a soft white light, indicating that Claybourne has found out some new info. She adjusted herself on her floating chair before turning her attention back to Tenchi's dad.

"Under normal circumstances you'd be right, but I still believe that the Juraian military and GP task force that took part of the investigation sealed off the room. It's possible that if undisturbed, the DNA from Braga and his killers are still there."

"Well, that a mighty big 'if' Miss Washu. I just hope you're right on this one…"

"Nothing is certain Nobuyuki, until the all facts are presented and I'm pretty sure the task force only took what they needed so they hang their case on Ryoko, but unfortunately we're the ones who have to show the burden of proof that it wasn't her on Xeria."

Nobuyuki dejectedly sighed as he heard the scientist's last remark. His mind was starting to cast a cloud of doom over the prospects of Ryoko's innocence.

"I'm starting to think this is becoming to be hopeless Washu. It looks like the cards are really stacked against us…OOWWWW!"

A large pale colored lump suddenly appeared on the top of the head of the hurting and surprised Nobuyuki with an angry Washu standing behind him, gripped with a small mallet on her right hand.

"If you want to start acting like a pessimist, do it at your own time! I refuse to give up on Ryoko and you know damn well your son won't either! Really Nobuyuki, I'm disappointed in you for saying that."

"I-I'm sorry Washu. I should know better than to doubt your words. It's just that we've been through so much in the last few years and…"

"Hold that thought for a minute would you?" Washu interrupted the elder Masaki as she focus her thoughts again on the flashing view screen." What ya got for me Clay?"

"_Telemetry readings from one of the GP security satellites circling Xeria during the time of the assassination," _Claybourne replied as the voice of the AI resonated throughout the lab. "_According to the surveillance video I hacked into, there was a strange abnormality in the northern polar region of the planet. Now to the naked eye and normal visual sensors, there's nothing going on, but if you look very carefully at the center of your screen, in particular the movement of the star patterns…"_

Washu stared intensely at the screen, trying to ascertain what the AI was getting at. As she looked closer, she noticed that the stars would look warped for a brief second before returning to their original shapes.

"Hmm, interesting. Only two things in the universe could make the stars looked warped. One would be a black hole, but at that close proximity, the planet would've been sucked in."

"And the other?"

"_A cloaked ship in which it was using its warp drive to create the necessary energy field to hide itself from the security satellites." _Claybourne added to Washu's theory.

"Correct Clay. Y'see Nobuyuki, since we saw that Ryoko imposter transported just after Braga's vessel exploded, the ship would have to be cloaked in order to remain undetected in orbit until the time came for them to eliminate the Juraian ship and high tail it out of there."

"_And of course when we say the stars looked warped, it's just really the energy field reflecting back whatever light is being hit with. A simple matter of the theory of astrophysics."_

"A simple matter?" Nobuyuki muttered in confusion, "I have absolutely no clue what you two were talking about, but I'll just take your word for it."

"heh-heh, don't worry Nobe, this type of science ain't for everyone," Washu chuckled back as merrily glanced through her aerial console." Ok Claybourne, let's play 'connect the dots' and see what's behind cloaked curtain number one."

All eyes focused their attention on the screen as the AI began to produce a 3D image from the video. After several minutes, a familiar form filled out the center.

"Hmm, I shouldn't be too surprised…"

"_I calculated at 10 to 1 odds that was the ship in question…"_

"Well I'll be…isn't that the ship that attacked Kiyone and Mihoshi?" Nobuyuki asked as the image of the Black Talon appeared on the screen, "I guess they must've headed for Xeria after they kidnapped Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki."

"I'll stake my reputation as the greatest genius in the universe that that was the case."

_"Gee…that's a real stretch…"_

"What was that Claybourne!"

"_Nothing! Just making a mental note of the situation Professor Washu."_

Washu glared at the floating eye, knowing that the AI had said an off-sided remark, but decided to let it slide and pursue more urgent matters.

"Well, given the facts we have so far, I think it's safe to bet that any further answers will be found on Xeria. Claybourne, open a secured channel to Yagami and transfer all data to Kiyone. She's going to need to know what to look for."

"_I will proceed at once, but professor, given the slight possibility that the DNA evidence may have been tainted, shouldn't we come up with a contingency plan?"_

"Already ahead of you my devoted AI. After we're done with Kiyone, patch me through Jurai and get Azaka and Lord Yosho on the line. We may have to do a little grave digging…"

"Grave digging?" 

"Heh, wait and see guys, just wait and see."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Nobuyuki sighed heavily as he saw the big smirk on the scientist's face; an expression that showed she was looking forward to the next phase of her investigation. Something of which neither the elder Masaki nor the AI was certain if that was a good thing.

PLANET JURAI…

"How do I look Tenchi?"

"Stop worrying about your appearance Ryoko, you look fine," Tenchi reassured his nervous lover as they proceeded through the Juraian capital inside the armored hovercraft that was taking them to the Ministry of Justice for the pirate's arraignment.

"I can't help it Tenchi. It's bad enough everyone in the galaxy thinks I'm a murderer so the least I could do is not look the part."

"I understand where you're coming from honey, but you could come dressing as a Jurai princess and that still won't make a difference. We can only hope that Ayeka and grandpa can keep the council at bay until we can get some proof on the real killer."

Tenchi held Ryoko's hand tightly, trying to lift her spirits, their movements being watched by two armed prison guards. On the outside, four sky cycles and two heavy personnel carriers surrounded the moving armored cage. Krieg took the lead carrier, making sure nothing happened on the way.

Ryoko spent a least an hour with Sasami figuring out what outfit to wear. Sasami assumed the cyan-haired girl would want to show off with her red and white outfit with the plunging cleavage look, however Ryoko didn't feel the need to draw further attention to herself so after agonizing over several choices, she settled for a more formal look. The dress was maroon and gray with a closed white collar with a small black bowtie. The hemline of the dress reached down to just below her knees with a matching maroon obi tied around her waist. Despite her reservations, Sasami assured the pirate that she looked great. After applying a light touch of makeup to soften out her facial features, Tenchi informed the constable that they were ready to leave.

Due to the nature of the crime, Krieg informed Sasami that she couldn't accompany Tenchi and Ryoko to the arraignment, stating that this was a closed hearing and being that everyone was on high alert, he did not want to jeopardize the princess' safety. Reluctantly, the little princess allowed herself to be escorted back to the palace by two knights of the Second Order just before the armored caravan left to the Jurai Hall of Justice.

After the long drive, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. One platoon of soldiers immediately surrounded the armor craft while another stationed themselves along several stationed barricades, preventing anyone from the public or the media to interfere.

Slowly, Tenchi and Ryoko stepped out from the vehicle, their eyes squinting from the bright Jurai sun. With Kreig in front, they proceeded to follow him towards the entrance of the ancient Hall of Justice. Tenchi looked up and was in awe of the sight of the building, which was as old as the history of Jurai itself.

The main structure looked to be a carved out of marble and granite, shaped almost like an airplane hanger, but its height reaching to almost 20 stories. Protruding from the center of the roof was one of the ancient trees of Jurai, with its immense trunk and lush, leafy branches stretching further up into the sky and across the width of the building. From both ends of the courthouse, two large and old statues stood guard; they were the Juraian goddesses of truth and justice, Verita and Seigi.

As they entered and dark colored wooden doorways, Tenchi could see the faded inscription on top. While his knowledge in Juraian was still in the novice class, he understood enough that it told the story about how Tsunami had chosen these two lesser goddesses to carry out law and order while she created the universe in her image. Verita's statue appeared to be the nurturing type as small statuettes of animals, flowers and children laid upon her feet. Her dress and facial features giving an impression of a loving Greek mother.

Seigi on the other hand, was wearing a warrior's garb, with a medieval sword on her left hand, a shield of her right and a helmet that looked to be from one of those old samurai pictures. It gave the impression to Tenchi that while the goddesses appeared to be polar opposites, their cause was the same.

As the couple crossed through the doorway, a small, balding, slender man dressed in a formal Juraian garb quickly walked over to Krieg, smiling nervously; his eyes darting back and forth from Krieg, to Ryoko, to finally Tenchi. After several moments, both the constable and the little man walked over to make his introduction.

"My lord…Ryoko…This is Prefect Chokan. He will be your representative at your trial."

Chokan, Ryoko and Tenchi politely bowed and followed Krieg further into the courthouse until they settled by a door that led them into a sparse waiting area. With only one table and a few chairs, everyone sat down to begin their conversation.

"Well mister Chokan, I hope you can help us get out of this predicament…"

"Uhm, yes my lord. I will try to uphold my part to serve the defendant well," Chokan answered nervously, his face displaying a look of disdain whenever he looked at Ryoko. "Given the history of the defendant and the seriousness of the crime, I will try to persuade the court magistrate to hand down a much lighter sentence…"

"Whoa, wait a minute! What do you mean a lighter sentence?" Ryoko jumped in, not sounding pleased in what her defense lawyer had to say. "You sound like you're not convinced I can win this…"

"Well Miss Ryoko, after going through all the evidence plus the statements from the eyewitnesses that saw you at the crime scene; in all honestly I don't think you can win. Considering the evidence that will be shown, plus your whereabouts without any alibi and your infamous past; not to mention political tension that has gripped the Holy Council over this case I see in no way of you walking out of here not guilty. The government will go through extreme measures that you are found guilty and be executed for the murder of Lord Braga."

"Excuse me, but what kind of defense counsel are you?" Tenchi yelled out, his eyes displaying a gaze of astonishment to what he had just heard, "Mr. Chokan, are you just trying to help the Holy Council speed things along and just have Ryoko accept whatever punishment they will give her?"

"For all intended purposes my lord, the verdict has been decided; it's just a question of what form of punishment they will hand out and at the present, they will do their best to say that Miss Ryoko should be put to death."

"Oh, this is bullshit Tenchi! This guy here is just another lapdog for the Holy Council. They're gonna railroad me into the death chamber without a second thought," Ryoko cried out, her face turning a deep crimson red from all the anger that's swelling up inside her. "Even with Ayeka here, they're gonna fuck me over!"

"Calm yourself prisoner Ryoko or I may have to call in some the guards to control you," Krieg demanded as he pulled put a radio device. "Prefect Chokan was selected from the Council to assist you and I must state that he was one of the few who actually volunteered. The rest either refused or left the planet."

"If he's the best they got, then I have a better chance with Ryo-Ohki as my defense lawyer!"

"Constable, is there someone else we can have to represent us?"

"Sorry my lord, but I was the last chosen my the defense pool of attorneys. No one else is available or willing to offer their expertise," Chokan replied, looking annoyed that Tenchi and Ryoko wanted someone to be their lawyer.

"Then perhaps someone from the outside should represent the defendant…"

"Who said that? How dare they…Lord Yosho?"

Krieg stood frozen and did the rest of the group as they saw Yosho standing by the room entrance, listening in on their conversation. Behind him was Kamidake, looking amused at the shocked faces of the lawman and the lawyer.

"I was not told that you'd be present for the arraignment my lord."

"Really? I didn't know that I needed to make my whereabouts known to you Constable," Yosho replied as he strolled in and observed the defense attorney. "I take it that you're here to advise the defendant to make a plea bargain Prefect Chokan? Something that would sway the tribunal into making a more lenient judgment?"

"Well yes my Prince. I see no other recourse so I believe the defendant's best option is to throw herself at the mercy of the court and perhaps they will commune her sentence to something more humane, such as a life sentence."

Yosho shook his head in disappointment. He suspected that the council would send someone to help them wrap things up quickly, but everyone seemed so sure that Ryoko was guilty that no one's even bothering to hide it. Slowly he walked towards the section of the room where Tenchi and Ryoko were sitting, smiling slightly as he reached the pirate. He gently placed his hand on the pirate's cheek, his warmth seemingly calming her nerves. Steadily, he asked her an important question…

"Ryoko, the Jurai legal system says you're guilty for a hideous crime. When you walk into the pre-trial room for your arraignment, they will ask the defense what is your plead. So child, what will be your answer?"

Ryoko stood up and whatever wavering, she gave a strong, firm answer…

"I will tell them that I am not guilty. I did not kill Lord Braga and I will go down fighting if need be."

"Well then, it's settled. Prefect Chokan, being that your client is pleading her innocence and you seem to strongly disagree with that, I suggest you excuse yourself from this case and let someone else represent her."

Chokan was both shocked and confused. He was given strict orders to be cooperative with the prosecution and to persuade the infamous pirate to accept her fate, but instead the one force in all of Jurai, save the Princess Ayeka was telling him to bow out. The prefect thought about protesting, but he remembered that it was Yosho who helped write out almost half of the laws of Jurai centuries ago so any argument on his part would be futile since the old prince could counter his tactics.

"My lord. With all due respect, who would want to represent the accused?"

"Easy. I will…"

"WHAT?"

"Grandpa?"

"My Lord?"

"Yosho? Really…you would do that for me?" Ryoko asked, her voice starting to crack with emotion.

"Yes Ryoko I will. Even if I had my doubts about you, I would do so only to protect the integrity of the laws of Jurai. The Holy Council is attempting to make this a public hanging and I simply refuse to let that happen."

"Gee, Gramps. I don't know what to say," Tenchi spoke as he got up and looked at his grandfather with love and admiration. "I'm really happy that you believe in Ryoko."

"Tenchi, if you truly believe in Ryoko's innocence, then I can do no less."

Krieg was beside himself while Chokan was practically speechless. The Constable excused himself and quickly left the room to check on the start of the arraignment. The Prefect gathered his paperwork and politely bowed to Yosho and the rest.

"Uhm, Very well. Prince Yosho…Prince Tenchi…Miss Ryoko, I will abide by your wishes and report the change of counsel to the tribunal. While I have my doubts about your innocence Ryoko, I still hope that you're treated well by our judicial system."

Ryoko smiled, acknowledging the little man's words. Afterwards, the three Masaki family members discussed Ryoko's options.

"So gramps, what do we do now?"

"For today my grandson, Ryoko will just simply state that she is not guilty and the judge advocate will set the court date. From there, we shall try to gather whatever evidence for our side and dispel whatever the prosecution can come up with."

"But Yosho, do you really think I have a chance in hell in beating this rap?"

"All things are possible Ryoko," Yosho warmly replied as he placed his hand on the cyan-haired beauty's shoulders. "It's just a matter in believing in yourself and in the rest of us."

"Just a matter of having faith right Grandpa?"

"Exactly Tenchi."

"From the Interstellar News Channel, located in the heart of the Galactic Union, we take you now live to the capital of the planet Jurai with some late breaking news. On the scene is INC reporter Roan Darke. Roan, what can you tell us?"

_"Just minutes ago at the Hall of Justice here at the capital of Jurai, the elected Magistrate of the Juraian Empire has just adjourned and from what the initial reports are coming out it looks to be that the notorious space pirate Ryoko has pleaded not guilty to the grisly murder of the former Minister of Finance, Lord Braga. And in a stunning turn of events, it appears that Lord Yosho himself, the former ruler of Jurai has volunteered to be the defense counsel of the accused. So far, no official word from the Holy Council, Princess Ayeka or the rest of the Royal Family."_

"Roan, any word on when the trial will take place?"

_"Xandu_,_ no exact date of when the trial will begin, but sources have told us the Holy Council will push for one within 48 to 72 hours. When it does, you can expect the case of _**_The People v. Ryoko_**_ will dominate the spacewaves. Stay tuned... "_

TO BE CONTINUED…

A/N: Let me thank Geor-sama and Luke Strange for proofreading this chapter. It's been so long that I don't trust my writing. Good to have backups when available.

Wow, I can't believe I didn't update this for almost a year. In all honestly I was at the verge of calling it quits. Not that I stopped taking an interest in Tenchi, but so many things have happened in 2004 that my writing took a long hiatus. However, whether be fate or dumb luck, quite a few readers emailed me since New Year's expressing their interest in this fic and my other "Second Time Around" and it's because of that I'll make an effort to finish both stories. It's really nice to know that people out there still have an interest in the Tenchi characters and my fics in particular so to you new readers, welcome and to the old ones still out there, glad you stuck around.

Alighthawk

As always, your reviews are appreciated. If you want a more elaborate explanation, you can email me at a.


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